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HISTORY 


OF THE 

Democratic Party Organization 
in the Northwest 


/ 


1824 -1840 


j ’ 

By Homer J: Webster, Ph. D., 

Department of History, 
University of Pittsburgh 


1915. 

THE F. J. HEER PRINTING CO. 
COLUMBUS, OHIO. 










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AmtGou n of Lsamed 9«C, 

Nov. 4 .1941 


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NOTE. 


In the preparation of this work the writer has re¬ 
ceived very helpful suggestions from Professor Frederic 
L. Paxson of the University of Wisconsin; while in every 
part of the work he has received invaluable assistance 
from his wife—Edith Francisco Webster. To both of 
these he desires to express here his hearty appreciation and 
gratitude. 

Pittsburgh, Pa., January, 1915. 











CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Bibliography . 3 

CHAPTER I. 

Beginnings of Party Organization (Ohio and Indiana) — 

Introduction . 6 

Early Steps toward Organization. 7 

Development from 1825 to 1828. 13 

The 'Campaign in 1S28. 27 

CHAPTER II. 

Solidifying the Organization (Ohio and Indiana) — 

The Period from 1829 to 1832. 35 

The Campaign in 1832. 43 

Progress from 1833 to 1836 . 46 

Organization in 1836. 61 

CHAPTER III. 

Extension to Illinois and Michigan — 

Beginnings in Illinois. 68 

Development in Illinois, 1835-36. 73 

Organization in Michigan, 1835-36. 81 

CHAPTER IV. 

Development from 1837 to 1839 — 

Ohio . 88 

Indiana . 91 

Illinois . 93 

Michigan . 98 

CHAPTER V. 

Campaign of 1840 — 

Ohio . 106 

Indiana . HO 

Illinois . 113 

Michigan . 117 
























BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


The material for this work has been gathered almost entirely 
from the files of contemporary newspapers where alone it was to 
be found. These have been used in the following libraries: 

Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison. 

Ohio State Library, Columbus. 

Young Men’s Mercantile Library, Cincinnati. 

Cincinnati Public Library. 

Indiana State Library, Indianapolis. 

Indianapolis Public Library. 

Illinois Historical Society, Springfield. 

Chicago Historical Society. 

Detroit Public Library. 

The C. M. Burton Historical Collection, Detroit. 

The best national paper on this subject was the United States 
Telegraph until the defection of the editor, Duff Green, in favor 
of Calhoun about the middle of 1831. Then the Globe was es¬ 
tablished and continued as the orthodox Administration paper. 
In Ohio, the best papers were the National Republican and Cin¬ 
cinnati Gazette at Cincinnati, the St. Clairsville Gazette in the east¬ 
ern part of the state, and later the Western Hemisphere, which 
continued as the Ohio Statesman, at Columbus. These papers, 
too, represented three important centres of Democratic activity. 
In Indiana the situation in this respect was very similar to that 
in Ohio. There were first two active Democratic centres on op¬ 
posite sides of the state, each of which had a good local paper, 
the Indiana Palladium at Lawrenceburgh and the Western Sun 
at Vincennes. Then later, August, 1830, came the establishment 
at Indianapolis of the Indiana Democrat, one of the leading Dem¬ 
ocratic papers in the Northwest. In Illinois, the best sources 
of information were found in the Illinois State Register published 
at Vandalia, and later at Springfield, the Sangamo Journal at 
Springfield, and the Chicago Democrat, established in 1833. The 
best Michigan papers were the Detroit Daily Free Press, the 

(3) 



4 


Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 


Niles Gazette and Advertiser, and the Niles Intelligencer. Sev¬ 
eral of the editors of these Michigan papers had previously 
edited papers in New York state, the training school for Demo¬ 
cratic organization. 

Although most of the material has come from Democratic 
papers, the Whig papers have often been found a valuable check 
upon these sources. Much of the material used, however, has 
been of such a character as not to encourage flagrant misrepresen¬ 
tation and much of it could be found only in papers of the Demo¬ 
cratic party. 

The following list contains the papers and miscellaneous 
works used. Democratic papers are indicated by a star. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

National. 

*Globe. Washington, Daily, 1831-33, 1836-37. 

National Intelligencer. Washington, passim. 

Niles' Register. Baltimore, 1828-40. 

*United States Telegraph. Washington, triweekly, 1827-30, 1832; daily, 
1827, 1829-32. 


Ohio. 

Cincinnati Daily Gazette. Cincinnati, 1827-28. 

Cincinnati Emporium. Cincinnati, 1824-25. 

*Columbus Sentinel. Columbus, 1831-34. 

*Hamilton Advertiser. Hamilton, 1827. 

*National Republican and Ohio Political Register. Cincinnati, 1823-33. 
*Ohio Monitor and Patron of Industry. Columbus, 1823-24, 1827-33. 

*Ohio State Bulletin. Columbus, 1829-31. 

Ohio State Gazette. Delaware, 1830. 

Ohio State Journal. Columbus, passim. 

*Ohio Statesman (continuing Western Hemisphere}. Columbus, 1837-40. 
*St. Clairsville Gazette. St. Clairsville, 1826-29. 

Western Aegis. Georgetown, 1827. 

*Western Hemisphere. Columbus, 1834-37. 

* Western Star and Lebanon Gazette. Lebanon, 1828. 

Western Tunes. Portsmouth, 1827-30. 

Indiana. 

*Indiana Democrat. Indianapolis, 1830-37. 

*Indiana Palladium. Lawrenceburgh, 1827-36. 


Democratic Party Organisation in the Northwest. 


5 


Indianapolis Gazette. Indianapolis, 1827-29. 

*Madison Courier. Madison, 1839-40. 

St. Joseph’s Beacon and Indiana and Michigan Intelligencer. South Bend, 
1832-33. 

*Western Sun and General Advertiser. Vincennes, 1826-32, 1834-40. 

Illinois. 

Alton Telegraph. Alton, 1838. 

*Chicago Democrat. Chicago, 1833-40, 

♦Illinois Advocate. Edwardsville, 1831-32—continued as 
Illinois Advocate. Vandalia, Jan.-Apr., 1833. 

Illinois Advocate and State Register. Vandalia, 1833-35. 

Illinois Advocate. Vandalia, 1835-Mar., 1836. 

Illinois State Register and Illinois Advocate. Vandalia, Mar.-June, 
1836. 

Illinois State Register and Peoples Advocate. Vandalia, June, 1836- 
Aug., 1839. 

Illinois State Register. Springfield, Aug., 1839-40. 

Peoria Register and Northwestern Gazetteer. Peoria, 1837-38. 

Sangamo Journal. Springfield, 1831-36. 

Michigan. 

Detroit Daily Advertiser. Detroit, 1836, 1840. 

*Detroit Daily Free Press. Detroit, 1835-40. 

*Niles Gazette and Advertiser. Niles, 1835-36. 

* Niles Intelligencer. Niles, 1838-40. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Whig Almanac. New York, 1838, 1843. 

American Annual Register. Vol. III. New York, 1835. 

Selections from the papers of Gov. Allen Trimble, Old Northwest Genea¬ 
logical Quarterly. Vol. XI. Columbus, 1908. 

Ford, Thomas, History of Illinois. Chicago, 1854. 

Reynolds, John, History of Illinois. Chicago, 1879. 

Sheahan, James W., The Life of Stephen A. Douglas. New York, 1860. 
Johnson, Allen, Stephen A. Douglas: A Study in American Politics. 

New York, 1908. 

Laws of Illinois. 

Journals of the House of Representatives and of the Senate of Illinois. 
Peck, Hon. Edward W., Disputed Questions in the Early History of 
Michigan. Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections. Vol. XI. 
Lansing, 1908. 

Cooley, T. M., Michigan (American Commonwealths). Boston, 1886. 
Farmer, Silas. History of Detroit and Michigan. Detroit, 1889. 


CHAPTER I. 

BEGINNINGS OF PARTY ORGANIZATION (OHIO AND INDIANA). 

The year 1824 was a turning point in the history of Amer¬ 
ican political parties. The all absorbing party, if all the people 
may be said to constitute a party, which had unanimously sup¬ 
ported Monroe in 1820 , was then dividing into several groups, 
each of which supported its favorite candidate for the presidency 
on purely personal grounds. The congressional caucus also made 
its last appearance that year in nominating William H. Crawford 
for president. The next few years formed a transitional period 
from the felicitous days of the single, great, harmonious party 
of 1820 to the struggle between two rival descendants of that 
party. This division was based on personal grounds in 1824 
and also in 1828 . But as party lines became more clearly drawn, 
as in 1832 and 1836 , and as the members of the two parties were 
called upon to give reasons for the faith or lack of faith that 
was in them, the divisions came to be based, or at least were sup¬ 
posed to be based, upon political principles. In order that these 
personal preferences and political principles might be effective it 
was necessary that the party which held them should be in power. 
This meant that it should win the elections and this in turn that it 
must be organized. In the old Northwest, Ohio, Indiana, Illi¬ 
nois, and Michigan, the Democratic or Jacksonian party led the 
way in this party organization by introducing the delegate and 
convention system. In 1824 the supporters of Jackson began to 
organize and by 1840 they became a well organized and unified 
party. It was largely by means of their organization that they 
gained control in 1828 and retained it until 1840 . It is the pur¬ 
pose of this work to trace the early stages and the development 
of this Democratic party organization in the Northwest during 
this period, from its very beginning to the completely developed 
convention system, with its network of township, county, district, 

( 6 ) 


Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 7 

and state meetings, and its various committees of vigilance and 
correspondence. 

Ohio and Indiana first developed political party organiza¬ 
tion in the Northwest. Ohio, the older and more populous state, 
showed more political organization in local centres and preceded 
Indiana in this activity by a few months, yet by 1836 Indiana 
had developed a distinctly better centralized system. Illinois 
adopted less readily the delegate and convention system and was 
later in the development of its party organization, but from 1835 
to 1840 , it made rapid advancement along these lines, and by the 
latter date compared favorably with the older states. Michigan, 
although not admitted to statehood until shortly after the election 
of 1836 , participated in that campaign just as the other states* 
and had developed a good party organization at that time. 

Early Steps Tozvard Organization, 1824 . 

In Ohio, in the winter of 1823 - 24 , there was much uncer¬ 
tainty and confusion concerning the choice of a presidential can¬ 
didate. As a result of this, Jackson’s name was presented in 
different connections as a candidate for vice-president as well as 
for president. Thus at a meeting of the citizens of Jefferson 
County, December 2 , 1823 , resolutions were adopted favoring 
De Witt Clinton for president and Andrew Jackson for vice- 
president . 1 Two weeks later a meeting of the citizens of Ham¬ 
ilton County adopted these same resolutions . 2 This meeting was 
divided in opinion, however, as to whether Jackson should not 
be its candidate for president instead of Clinton, but upon put¬ 
ting it to a vote, Clinton was supported by 450 to 330 . These 
same nominations were made by the citizens of Geauga County in 
January, 1824. 3 By April, news was received which was consid¬ 
ered unfavorable to the candidacy of Clinton and in conse¬ 
quence of this, the movement to promote his election was aban¬ 
doned . 4 Another combination called the “People’s Ticket,” pub- 

1 National Republican and Ohio Political Register (Cincinnati), Dec. 

16, 1823; Ohio Monitor and Patron of Industry (Columbus), Jan. 3, 1824, 

3 National Republican, Dec. 19, 1823. 

• Ibid, Feb. 13, 1824. 

4 Ibid, Apr. 1, 1824. 



8 


Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 


lished in a Cincinnati paper, proposed Adams for president and 
Jackson for vice-president . 5 This ticket was supported as late 
as June by a meeting in Washington County . 6 

The first meetings in Ohio which nominated Jackson for 
president appear to have been those held in Wayne and Adams 
Counties in March, 1824. 7 That the followers of Adams and 
Jackson were at that time just finding themselves is evident from 
the proceedings of the Adams County meeting . 8 Jackson and 
Adams were both considered for president but the majority fa¬ 
vored Jackson and he was recommended; also an elector for him 
for that congressional district. County meetings were recom¬ 
mended throughout the state to take similar action. There was 
some discussion on the resolution to have the proceedings pub¬ 
lished as the voice of the county, but the majority favored it and 
prevailed, although the chairman and secretary were in the mi¬ 
nority. The editor of the local paper, a Jackson man, suggested 
that the friends of Adams had the liberty to call counter meet¬ 
ings, and that he would cheerfully publish their proceedings. 

This plan whereby a county meeting nominated the presi¬ 
dential elector for the congressional district was followed in a 
number of instances at this time. Meetings were held in Ham¬ 
ilton County in April 9 and in Washington County in May , 10 both 
of which pursued this method; both appointed committees of 
correspondence for their respective counties; and both recom¬ 
mended similar meetings throughout the state to nominate elec¬ 
tors for Jackson. The Hamilton and Adams County meetings 
adopted in substance the preamble of a recent Philadelphia meet¬ 
ing which showed that they were somewhat in touch with polit¬ 
ical activities east of the Alleghanies. 

A decided step toward united action was taken when a meet¬ 
ing of the Jackson committee of correspondence for Hamilton 

* Cincinnati Emporium, Apr. 1, 1824. 

•Ibid, July 1, 1824. 

7 National Republican, Apr. 6, 1824. 

•Ibid, Apr. 6, 1824. 

9 Ibid, Apr. 20, 1824; Cincinnati Emporium, Apr. 22, 1824. 

10 National Republican, May 28, 1824. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 9 

County on May 29 , adopted the following preamble and resolu¬ 
tions : u 

'Whereas, It has been suggested and recommended by sev¬ 
eral of the Jackson committees of correspondence in this state 
* * * therefore, 

“Resolved, That the friends and supporters of General Jack- 
son in the several counties in the state of Ohio be requested to 
send delegates to a convention to be held at the town of Colum¬ 
bus, July 14 next, for the purpose of agreeing on two candidates 
at large for electors of president and vice-president; to fill all 
vacancies which may then exist in the general ticket for the state; 
and to adopt such other measures as may be necessary and proper 
to promote the election of the Jackson electoral ticket of Ohio. 

“Resolved, That the editors and printers of Ohio be requested 
to publish the above for the information of the people.” 

In pursuance of this call, in the next six weeks there was a 
series of county meetings which appointed committees of cor¬ 
respondence, recommended electors for their respective congres¬ 
sional districts, and appointed delegates to the state convention . 12 

This convention met July 14 and agreed upon the sixteen 
electors for Jackson . 13 The delegates had been instructed in 
most cases whom to name for their respective congressional dis¬ 
tricts, so that the work of the convention was merely to confirm 
the nominations, supply any vacancy, and nominate the two sena¬ 
torial electors. A committee of correspondence of three was ap¬ 
pointed with power to fill any vacancies which might occur in the 
electoral ticket. This committee was requested to prepare and 
publish an address to the people of Ohio on the approaching 
election. There is evidence that this committee solicited and 
opened correspondence with similar committees in other states . 14 

During the summer and fall of 1824 , the Jackson committee 
of correspondence of Hamilton County was very active. At a 
meeting on July 24 , it was resolved that their stated meetings 
should be held at 3 P. M. on the first and third Saturdays of each 

11 National Republican, June 1, 1824. 

M Ibid, June, July, 1824; Ohio Monitor, July, 1824. 

“ National Republican, July 27, 1824; Ohio Monitor, July 31, 1824. 

14 National Republican, Oct. 1, 1824. 



10 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications . 

month until after the election . 15 This committee was repeatedly 
increased in number during that time. Beginning with fifteen mem¬ 
bers, it was gradually increased to one hundred and ninety-eight 
by the twenty-fourth of September, of which one hundred and 
twenty-one were from Cincinnati . 16 That the interests of the 
committee were not confined to Hamilton County is evidenced 
by their resolution passed on August 21 , which read: “that it is 
the opinion of this committee that the persons appointed to pub¬ 
lish the address of the convention at Columbus should imme¬ 
diately proceed to the publication thereof .” 17 The secretary of 
the Hamilton County committee was Elijah Hayward, editor of 
the National Republican in Cincinnati, who was also chairman of 
the state committee of correspondence appointed at the state 
convention. This secured a close connection between the organi¬ 
zations of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and the state. For a few 
weeks preceding the fall election the Jackson committees for each 
of the four wards of Cincinnati met “every Thursday evening at 
early candle-light ,” 18 and several of the townships of the county 
were active in their support of Jackson, each having its com¬ 
mittee of correspondence . 19 

The friends of Jackson in Franklin County were also taking 
steps to promote his election and had appointed a committee of 
forty-six for that purpose. The chairman called a meeting of 
this committee on October 25 , just preceding the election, and 
recommended the township committees of the county each to ap¬ 
point a delegate to represent them in this meeting and thus co¬ 
operate with the general committee of the county . 20 Electoral 
tickets favorable to Jackson were provided by the committee. 

Viewing the situation generally at this time, while there was 
much activity in some local centres, it did not extend widely over 
the state. There were county meetings to elect delegates to the 
state convention and these also often nominated electors; but ex- 

15 National Republican, Aug. 6, 1824. 

16 Ibid, Sept. 24, 1824. 

"Ibid, Aug. 27, 1824. 

13 Ibid, Oct. 12, 1824. 

” Ibid, June 11, 1824. 

20 Ohio Monitor, Oct. 9, 1824. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 11 

cept in preparation for the state convention, the delegate and 
nominating convention system had not yet appeared and there 
was little development in party organization. The committees of 
correspondence and the state convention for forming the elec¬ 
toral ticket were the chief contributions to party organization 
for the year 1824 in Ohio. 

In Indiana there was also an organized effort to secure the 
election of Jackson in 1824 . A meeting in Switzerland County 
in January, adopted the resolutions supporting Clinton and Jack- 
son, passed by the citizens of Jefferson County, Ohio, already 
mentioned, and appointed a committee of nine to promote their 
election . 21 But in Indiana, as in Ohio, Clinton’s name for the 
presidency was soon superseded by that of Jackson. During the 
first half of the year several county meetings were held to pro¬ 
mote the candidacy of the latter, but each followed its own course 
and there was no concerted or general movement. A meeting in 
Clark County in May nominated a Jackson elector for the second 
judicial circuit and requested the friends of Jackson in the other 
four circuits of the state to do the same . 22 The citizens of 
Orange County held a meeting in July and nominated five Jack- 
son electors for the state . 23 

By the last of July, however, advanced ground was taken by 
the editor of the Vincennes paper and by the Democrats of 
Franklin County. The editorial advocated a state convention 
for the choice of presidential electors . 24 “In Wayne, Dearborn, 
and Ripley Counties,” wrote the editor, “candidates are continu¬ 
ally coming forward. * * * A general convention, county 

committees of correspondence, and township committees of vigi¬ 
lance will secure to us such a ticket as will produce unanimity 
* * * and render success certain. I therefore seriously call 
on the friends of Andrew Jackson throughout the state to exert 
themselves in their respective counties to procure county meet¬ 
ings sometime in the month of August, and at such meetings to 
appoint delegates in proportion to their county representation in 

21 National Republican, March 12, 1824. 

22 Ibid, June 11, 1824, quoting Indiana Farmer. 

23 National Republican, Aug. 10, 1824. 

24 Western Sun (Vincennes, Indiana), July 31, 1824. 



12 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

the legislature, who shall meet in general convention at Salem 
* * * in September, to nominate an electoral ticket in favor 

of Andrew Jackson and to make such other arrangements as the 
good of the cause may require.” He also urged that the county 
meetings appoint county committees of correspondence of five, 
and township committees of vigilance of three members each. 
The previous day a meeting in Franklin County on the opposite 
side of the state, had resolved “that for the purpose of fixing upon 
a regular electoral ticket, the friends of General Jackson through¬ 
out the state are requested to call meetings, appoint committees 
or correspondence, and also delegates in the different counties to 
meet in convention at Salem, September 16 , for the purpose of 
agreeing upon an electoral ticket .” 25 This meeting appointed a 
committee of correspondence of three for the county and a dele¬ 
gate to this state convention, and nominated a state electoral 
ticket which it recommended for adoption. Similar meetings fol- 
owed in other counties 26 , and on September 16 , delegates from 
fourteen of them met in convention at Salem . 27 An electoral 
ticket was adopted and a state corresponding committee of three 
members appointed with power to fill vacancies in the ticket. 
This procedure was similar to that in the Ohio convention two 
months before. In both cases the electoral ticket was chosen 
chiefly from nominations previously made by county meetings 
and the state committees were alike in number and duties. The 
Indiana convention further requested the friends of Jackson to 
hold meetings and appoint committees of correspondence in those 
counties where this had not been done, and it resolved “that five 
hundred copies of the address to the people of Indiana, adopted 
by this convention, and three thousand of the electoral tickets 
be printed for immediate distribution.” 

The counties represented were well distributed over the 
southern, the settled portion of the state. Franklin and Dear¬ 
born Counties, which had both been very active in advocating the 

25 National Republican, Aug. 24, 1824, quoting Brookville (Indiana) 
Enquirer. 

26 Western Sun, Aug. 21, 28, Sept. 4, nad 11, 1824; National Republi¬ 
can, Aug. 27, 1824. 

” Western Sun, Sept. 25, 1824; National Republican, Oct. 5, 1824. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 13 

state convention and had appointed delegates to it, were not repre¬ 
sented. This might easily have been due to the difficulty of travel 
before the days of railroads. The same reason might explain the 
fact that the state convention was held at Salem in south central 
Indiana, instead of at the state capital, Indianapolis, which was 
then on the northern frontier of the settled portion of the state. 

While there was less political organizing activity in Indiana 
than in Ohio in 1824 , this was chiefly because of its smaller pop¬ 
ulation. The main difference in procedure in the beginning seems 
to have been that in Indiana the county meetings in some cases 
recommended a complete ticket of electors for the state, while 
in Ohio these meetings confined their recommendations to the 
electors for their own congressional districts. By the end of 
the campaign the two states arrived at practically the same po¬ 
sition as to their Democratic party organization and both were 
in the initial stages. As to the results of the campaign of 1824 , 
Ohio gave Jackson eighteen thousand votes , 28 Adams twelve thou¬ 
sand, and Clay nineteen thousand, so that its sixteen electoral 
votes were given for Clay; Indiana gave Jackson seven thousand, 
Adams three thousand, and Clay five thousand, thus giving its 
five electoral votes for Jackson. In the house of representatives 
the vote of Indiana was still cast for Jackson, but that of Ohio 
was turned to Adams. 

Development from 1825 to 1828. 

In the summer and fall of 1825 there were township and 
ward meetings in Hamilton County, Ohio, preparatory to a county 
convention to nominate a ticket for the fall election. A meeting 
in Sycamore township in August recommended that a delegation 
of three from each township of the county and each ward of 
Cincinnati meet in convention on September 10. 29 In pursuance 
of this recommendation delegates from five townships and one 
ward assembled and formed a county ticket . 30 They expressed 
approval of the delegate system as the best method to “prevent 

28 Returns given in round numbers in this and succeeding chapters. 

29 National Republican, Aug. 23, 1825. 

*> Ibid, Sept. 13, 1825. 



14 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

the few from imposing on the public by holding secret meetings 
to get themselves or friends into office.” This county convention 
differed from the county meetings of the previous year in both 
Ohio and Indiana, in that it was composed of delegates chosen by 
township and ward meetings, and also in that its purpose was to 
nominate state and county officers rather than to prepare for a 
presidential election. 

Individual nominations continued to appear in the columns 
of the press , 31 and a township meeting in Whitewater township, 
September 3 , nominated another set of candidates for state and 
county offices . 32 

The year 1826 witnessed some further development in 
political party organization in Ohio. As early as February there 
appeared the following editorial on the “Delegate System” in 
the St. Clairsville Gazette, 33 which shows the situation in Bel¬ 
mont County at that time: “It is deemed proper to give public 
information that a large number of the citizens of most, if not 
all the townships have agreed to adopt the delegate system in 
nominating candidates for important public places. They have 
placed their names to an instrument which sets forth the advan¬ 
tages of that mode over the one generally used in this county, of 
individuals assuming the authority of nominating persons under 
the influence of private consideration. * * * * It is recom¬ 

mended that the citizens of each township elect at the approaching 
spring elections, two delegates with instructions to meet in St. 
Clairsville on the first Saturday of September to make nomina¬ 
tions for the ensuing general election, appoint a committee of 
vigilance for the following year, etc.” 

In pursuance of this recommendation, some townships elected 
delegates at the spring election , 34 and these met, upon call, May 
22 , to nominate a ticket for the fall election . 35 As only ten dele¬ 
gates attended, representing five townships, they adjourned and 
called a second meeting for June 20 , at which six townships were 

31 National Republican, Sept. 20, 1825. 

* 2 Ibid, Sept. 16, 1825. 

33 St. Clairsville (Ohio), Gazette, Feb. 25, 1826. 

“Ibid, May 13, 1826. 

35 Ibid, June 10, 1826. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 15 

represented . 30 The meeting being duly organized and “giving 
all the weight possible to the instructions of the people by whom 
they were elected/’ selected a ticket for state and county officers 
to be supported at the October election. 

Thus far since 1824 , there had been no mention of national 
motives in this local political organization although it had been 
developing in almost diametrically opposite centres in the state 
of Ohio. But in a Cincinnati paper of August 1826 , there ap¬ 
peared the following: 

“Jackson Notice .” 37 

“Those members of the late Jackson committee of cor¬ 
respondence for the county of Hamilton who reside in Cincin¬ 
nati, and those who may be in town from the country, are re¬ 
quested to meet at Colonel Mac Farland’s Hotel near the Court 
House on Thursday evening, the twenty-fourth, at 7 o’clock, on 
business of importance. 

Elijah Hayward, 

Cincinnati, August 21 , 1826 . Late secretary to said committee. 

“P. S. The above notice is given at the request of several 
members of said committee.” 

No record of this meeting appears but there is an account of 
a meeting of this committee, on August 31, 38 which called a meet¬ 
ing of those citizens of Hamilton County friendly to the election 
of Andrew! Jackson to the next presidency, for September 12 , 
for the purpose of adopting such measures as would promote that 
object. A committee of five was appointed to prepare and report 
to that meeting such resolutions as they might consider proper. 

This meeting was held at the appointed time and the resolu¬ 
tions reported were adopted . 39 It appointed a committee of 
twenty members called the “Jackson Committee of Cincinnati,” 
giving them power “to add to their number, to appoint subcom¬ 
mittees, to correspond with other Jackson committees throughout 
the Union and to do anything fitting to promote the cause of the 

88 St. Clairsville Gazette, July 1, 1826. 

3T National Republican, Aug. 22, 1826. 

68 Ibid, Sept. 5, 1826. 

80 Ibid, Sept. 15, 1826; Hamilton (Ohio) Advertiser, Sept. 22, 1826 



16 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. 

people in choosing their first executive officer. “On September 
19 , this committee was enlarged to the number of sixty-three, 
the members residing in Cincinnati and in the surrounding 
vicinity. 40 Five of them resided in the adjoining county of Cler¬ 
mont. Meetings of this committee were held every few weeks 
at the Marine Coffee House in Cincinnati. The next one was 
called for September 27 , and at this meeting the committee ex¬ 
pressed regret that more than one Jackson candidate should be 
supported for congress in this district and said that all efforts 
to unite the friends of Jackson on this subject had been unavail¬ 
ing; and believing that a considerable plurality of votes would 
be given to James Findlay for that office, and having full confi¬ 
dence in his abilities and his firm friendship for Andrew Jackson, 
they resolved to recommend the friends of Jackson to unite in 
support of James Findlay as the Jackson candidate for congress . 41 
They also resolved that “to support any other Jacksonian as a 
congressional candidate for this district is calculated to injure 
the Jackson cause.” A committee of five was appointed to pre¬ 
pare and publish an address containing the principles which in¬ 
duced this committee to support Mr. Findlay. 

Warren County showed some political activity in support 
of Jackson in 1826 . At a meeting of the citizens of Lebanon and 
vicinity, favorable to Jackson on September 16 , a “Warren 
Jackson Committee” of ten was appointed, whose duty it was 
“to correspond with other committees or individuals on the sub¬ 
ject of the presidential election, to draft and cause to be published 
an address to the people, and to take any other proper measures 
for the advancement of the Hero.” 42 

In the spring of 1827 the field of political activity again 
widened in Ohio and there are records of about ten county meet¬ 
ings, in which steps were taken toward organizing the Jackson 
party by appointing correspondence committees for the counties 
and, in some cases, vigilance committees for the townships. 
These meetings were called together by notices in the local papers, 
often published at the request of some of the citizens, and some- 

40 National Republican, Sept. 22, 1826. 

41 Ibid, Sept. 29, 1826. 

43 Ibid, Sept. 29, 1826. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 17 

times supplemented by circulars. It is fair to suppose that sev¬ 
eral of this series of meetings were stimulated by a circular 
issued March 29, by a select committee appointed by the Jackson 
committee of correspondence for Hamilton County. 43 This 
circular read as follows : 44 

“At a meeting of the Jackson Committee of Correspondence 
for the county of Hamilton on the twenty-first instant, the un¬ 
dersigned were appointed a select committee to open and con¬ 
tinue a correspondence with similar committees and with friends 
of General Jackson in this and other states of the Union with 
a view to promote the elevation of that illustrious citizen to the 
next presidency. At the same meeting it was resolved to request 
the friends of General Jackson in the several counties of this 
state to hold meetings in their respective counties and organize 
committees of correspondence to promote the same object. 
* * * Nothing now appears to be wanting to secure to him 

the electoral votes of Ohio but a proper organization of his 
friends in the several counties and * * * active exertions. 
With this prospect before us * * * we earnestly request 
you to cause a meeting to be held in your county at an early 
period for the purpose of appointing a committee of correspond¬ 
ence and adopting such other measures as may promote the cause 
of the people. * * * Should a meeting be held in your 

county we would recommend that the proceedings be published in 
some newspaper in your vicinity, and one copy of the paper con¬ 
taining such proceedings forwarded to the National Republican 
and to the Cincinnati Advertiser.” 

The supporters of Jackson were quite active in Belmont 
County at this time, and in pursuance of a call published in the 
local paper, about one hundred assembled in St. Clairsville, May 
2, 1827. 45 After passing resolutions in support of Jackson, 
fifteen persons were appointed as a* county committee of cor¬ 
respondence, and it was resolVed that a copy of the proceedings 
of the meeting be forwarded to the friends of Jackson in Guern- 

43 National Republican, .March 20, 1827. 

44 Cincinnati Daily Gazette , Sept. 24, 1827. 

48 United States Telegraph (Washington, D. C.), May 17, 1827; Na~ 
tional Republican, May 18, 1827. 

Vol. XXIV— 2. 



18 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

sey County with a request that they hold a similar meeting. It 
would seem, however, that this suggestion was not very warmly 
welcomed by the Jackson men in Guernsey, for at their meeting, 
which was held in the town of Washington just ten days later, 
it was resolved, “that as this meeting has been called by the 
result of a voluntary and deliberate consultation of the citizens 
of this county, and that public notice was given previous to 
the meeting in Belmont, it has therefore been held * * * 

independent of the instructions or solicitations of any man or 
set of men, and accordingly we will pursue an independent course, 
having no regard for the instructions of friends further than a 
mutual correspondence and an exchange of sentiment.” 46 This 
Guernsey County meeting appointed a committee of correspond¬ 
ence of nine members. 

In Montgomery County in the spring of 1827 there was some 
political activity and organization among the Jackson men, al¬ 
though unity and concert throughout the county seemed to be 
lacking and each meeting seemed to stand alone. Some of the 
townships led the way and the county followed. A meeting in 
Jefferson Township, April 11, appointed two members as a com¬ 
mittee of correspondence “to cooperate and act in concert with 
similar committees in this state and throughout the United 
States.” 47 Another meeting was held in German Township, May 
4. 48 On May 11, the Jackson men of the county held a meeting 
at Dayton and prepared an address and appointed seven persons 
as a committee of correspondence. 49 

During the summer of 1827 there were a few meetings of 
the Jackson committee of Hamilton County, in Cincinnati, one 
of which on July 16, called a meeting of the citizens for the fol¬ 
lowing day to discuss the tariff, which was attended by about one 
thousand persons. 50 In the fall the meetings of the committee 
became more frequent and there were meetings of the Jackson 

48 U. S. Telegraph, June 19, 1827; National Republican, June 5, 1827. 

47 U. S. Telegraph , May 5, 1827; National Republican, May 4, 1827. 

48 U. S. Telegraph, May 5, 1827; National Republican, May 15, 1827. 

49 U. S. Telegraph, May 26, 1827. 

eo National Republican, July 17 and 20, 1827. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 19 

citizens in the different wards of Cincinnati. 51 Some of the 
modes of procedure were not as democratic as they might have 
been, for the Jackson committee of correspondence for Hamilton 
County appointed delegates to meet and form a ticket of con- 
didates for the fall election. These delegates met and nominated 
a county ticket on September I . 52 

At many of the county and township meetings amusing 
sentiments were expressed reflecting the partisan spirit of the 
time. In a Wayne County meeting which assembled in March 
to effect county and township organization, Adams was referred 
to as “a man whose political life has been too strongly marked 
by a vacillating policy on all subjects but that of an aristocratic 
opposition to the Rights of Man.” 53 A resolution adopted by a 
meeting in German township, Montgomery County, in May, read 
thus: “Although General Jackson has not been educated at for¬ 
eign courts and reared on sweetmeats from the tables of kings 
and princes, we think him nevertheless much better qualified to 
fill the dignified station of president of the United States than 
Mr. Adams.” 54 

An editorial in the Cincinnati Gazette of that time on the 
fall election gives some interesting sidelights on party organiza¬ 
tion and seems on the whole a fair statement of the case. 55 It 
says in substance that, notwithstanding the attempts of the Jack- 
sonians to mix up the presidential question with the local elec¬ 
tions, this course has been taken in but a few counties. “In 
Wayne, Columbiana, Jefferson, Hamilton, Knox, Ross, and Bel¬ 
mont the presidential election, or Administration and opposition, 
forms the line of division. I have observed no other counties in 
which an avowed Jackson ticket is openly supported.” The four 
counties first named — Wayne, Columbiana, Jefferson, and Ham¬ 
ilton— were active Jacksonian centres. The editorial continues: 
“I have no doubt that an open Jackson ticket has been made 
wherever it was thought prudent to make it;” that is, wherever 

51 National Republican, Oct. 2, 1827. 

62 Ibid, Sept. 4, 1827; Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Sept. 13, 1827. 

58 U. S. Telegraph, Apr. 14, 1827, quoting National Republican. 

54 U. S. Telegraph, May 5, 1827; National Republican, May 15, 1827. 

“ Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Oct. 7, 1827. 



20 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

success seemed probable. “In most of the counties there is a 
large number of candidates and many will probably be elected 
without receiving one-third of the votes actually given. It is 
easy in such cases for a small minority of Jacksonians, by acting 
in concert and keeping silent to elect their man.” 

The election in Hamilton County in the fall of 1827 illustrates 
this, except that the Jackson men were here in the majority in 
any case. The Administration party decided not to make a party 
ticket. 56 Just before the election there were several candidates 
for the assembly on the Administration side. “It is true”, wrote 
the editor of the Gazette, “as is stated in the National Republican, 
that the unanimity which prevails among the friends of General 
Jackson, secures to the party the utmost fidelity and the strictest 
integrity. They have been disciplined into unanimity * * * 

and they deserve to reap the benefit of this concert.” 57 

As early as April 20, 1827, the citizens of Jefferson County 
favorable to the election of Jackson held a meeting which seems 
to have made the first suggestion of a state convention for 1828 
to appoint electors for president and vice-president of the United 
States. 58 They resolved to “recommend to the friends of Gen¬ 
eral Jackson in this state, in imitation of his early and faithful 
friends in Pennsylvania, the propriety of making arrangements 
in due season for a delegate meeting at Columbus on the eighth 
of January next, to be composed of so many from each county as 
such county sends senators and representatives to the general 
assembly.” Organization was effected by appointing a corre¬ 
sponding committee of eighteen for the county and a committee 
not exceeding seven in each township. 59 

Within the two months following, several meetings made 
provision for sending delegates to the state convention. On May 
10, a Jackson meeting in Columbiana County appointed five per¬ 
sons as a committee of vigilance and correspondence for the 
county and these in turn were required to appoint committees 

56 Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Sept. 13, 1827. 

67 Ibid, Oct. 17, 1827. 

68 U. S. Telegraph, May 10, 1827; National Republican, May 11, 1827. 

69 St. Clairsville Gazette, Apr. 21, 1827. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 21 

of three in each township. 60 All these committees together were 
to appoint four delegates to represent the county in the state con¬ 
vention. A Jackson meeting was held in Bath township, Green 
County, May 26, which appointed a corresponding committee of 
five members. 61 The meeting recommended and concurred in 
sending delegates from the different counties to the state conven¬ 
tion and appointed Thomas Gillespie, Esq., of Xenia in another 
part of the county as a delegate to this convention. The fact that 
he had offered himself for this office in 1824 prompted his nom¬ 
ination. A Licking County Jackson meeting was held, June 11, 
at Newark. 62 A committee of vigilance and correspondence was 
appointed, consisting of thirty-five members and two delegates 
were chosen to the state convention. 

During the fall preparatory to the state convention there are 
records of at least thirty county conventions. These were as¬ 
sembled by means of calls issued by Jacksonians in the local 
papers. In Butler County the convention was called by a pre¬ 
paratory meeting of the friends of Jackson. 63 In a few cases 
where a county committee existed, as in Belmont 64 and Hamil¬ 
ton, 65 this body called the convention. These county conventions 
appointed delegates to the state convention and formed county 
organizations, where such had not been formed, by appointing 
committees of correspondence for the counties. At the same time 
committees were often appointed by the county conventions for 
the townships, or the latter were requested to appoint such 
themselves. The committees both of county and township varied 
greatly in number and organization. The county committee was 
composed of three, five, seven, or more members, appointed with¬ 
out regard to the townships; or again it was composed of one 
or more members from each township of the county. When the 
county committee was formed without regard to the townships, 

60 U. S. Telegraph, June 16, 1827. 

61 National Republican, June 15, 1827. 

62 U. S. Telegraph, June 28, 1827, quoting Newark Advocate; Na¬ 
tional Republican, July 6, 1827. 

63 Hamilton Advertiser, Oct. 20, 1827. 

94 St. Clairsville Gazette, Sept. 29, 1827. 

“ National Republican, Oct. 16, 1827. 



22 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

committees were often appointed in the townships besides, or the 
townships were requested to appoint such themselves. 

In Monroe County the members of the county meeting 
formed themselves into a society, called the “Monroe Jackson 
committee of vigilance. ,,66 In Belmont County the committee 
which had been appointed on May 2, called a convention on Sep¬ 
tember 22, and this body increased the committee from fifteen to 
sixty and authorized it to appoint two delegates to the state con¬ 
vention. 67 This committee met November 24, and appointed 
three delegates to this convention, 68 and a central committee of 
five from their number as a correspondence committee, which 
was authorized and required to appoint township committees, 
whose duty it should be to maintain a regular, friendly inter¬ 
course with their fellow citizens, promote the success of Jack- 
son, and communicate with the central committee. 

Some of the county meetings appointed very large commit¬ 
tees. In Pickaway the committee of vigilance numbered seventy- 
five. 69 The Franklin County convention appointed committees 
in each township aggregating one hundred and three members. 70 
The Clinton County convention appointed a committee of corre¬ 
spondence of seventy-two members and a committee of vigilance 
of nearly one hundred, residing in different parts of the county. 71 
The Brown County convention recommended the citizens of each 
township to meet and appoint committees of from three to twenty 
each. 72 

At the Franklin County convention it was resolved, “that we 
hold the press to be the best avenue through which calumny and 
misrepresentation can be refuted and correct information dissem¬ 
inated; that we earnestly recommend to the friends of Andrew 
Jackson in each and every township of this state to form a club 

66 St. Clairsville Gazette, Oct. 6, 1827; National Republican, Nov. 13, 

1827. 

m St. Clairsville Gazette, Sept. 29, 1827. 

68 Ibid, Dec. 1, 1827; National Republican, Dec. 14, 1827. 

e# National Republican, Nov. 30, 1827. 

T0 U. S. Telegraph, Dec. 8, 1827. 

n National Republican, Dec. 25, 1827. 

13 Western Aegis (Georgetown, O.), Dec. 4, 1827. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 23 

and to subscribe to at least three of the leading papers favorable 
to his election to the presidency, which shall be deposited with 
one or more persons for the benefit of all the inhabitants of the 
townships without regard to their political sentiments;” also, 
“that five hundred copies of the address and resolutions be pub¬ 
lished and distributed throughout the state under the direction 
of a committee of five members.” 73 

The number of delegates chosen to> the state convention 
varied from one, as in the case of Scioto County, 74 to fifteen, as 
in Fairfield. 75 In several counties their appointment was left 
to a committee with discretionary power as to the number. In 
Ross County the township committees, together with the citizens 
of the townships, were to appoint as many delegates as they 
should deem advisable. 76 The delegates were regularly appointed 
directly by the county convention but in Monroe County a dele¬ 
gate was appointed by the committee of correspondence, as di¬ 
rected by the county convention. 77 The same method was fol¬ 
lowed in Belmont. 78 In Scioto County the joint committees of 
correspondence for the county and of vigilance for the townships 
were authorized to appoint one delegate, 79 and in Columbiana 
County the four delegates were appointed by a joint meeting of 
all the committees of the county and townships, together with the 
citizens of the county. 80 

The convention of delegates from the counties of Ohio, who 
were friendly to the election of Jackson, assembled at the court 
house at Columbus, January 8, 81 1828. One hundred and sixty 
delegates attended, 82 representing fifty-four counties. 83 After 

78 U. S. Telegraph, Dec. 8, 1827. 

74 Western Times (Portsmouth, O.), Nov. 15, 1827. 

75 National Republican, Dec. 11, 1827. 

76 Ibid, Nov. 13, 1827. 

77 St. Clairsville Gazette, Oct. 6, Nov. 17, and Dec. 15, 1827. 

78 Ibid, Sept. 29, Nov. 3, and Dec. 1, 1827. 

79 Western Times, Nov. 15, 1827. 

80 National Republican, Dec. 21, 1827. 

81 January 8 was chosen as the date for Democratic conventions in 
commemoration of Jackson’s victory at New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815. 

82 U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 19, 1828. 

83 Ibid, Feb. 7, 1828. 



24 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

organizing, a committee of fourteen, consisting of one member 
from each congressional district, was appointed to consult with 
delegates from their respective districts, and recommend to the 
convention the names of sixteen persons for nomination as elec¬ 
tors of president and vice-president of the United States at the 
next election. 84 Another committee of fourteen members was 
appointed to prepare an address to the people of the state, with 
suitable resolutions on the subject of the next presidential elec¬ 
tion and report the same to the convention. Pursuant to adjourn¬ 
ment on the eighth, the convention reassembled January 9, and 
accepted the reports of these committees. The address filled 
nearly six columns of the newspaper and concluded with a col¬ 
umn of a dozen resolutions, 85 one of which was: 

^Resolved, That a committee of thirty-two be appointed by 
the chairman of this convention, consisting of two members from 
each congressional district and four at large, to act as a commit¬ 
tee of observation and vigilance throughout the state until the 
final result of the next presidential election is known; and that 
such committee, or a majority of them, have power to appoint 
select committees either from among themselves or otherwise; 
and if considered expedient, to call a future convention like the 
present; and that they be required to present to the people, such 
information on the subject of the next presidential election as to 
them shall seem advisable; and that said committee have power 
to fill any vacancy that may occur in the electoral ticket or in their 
own body.” 

This committee was appointed. It was further resolved 
that one thousand copies of the proceedings, address, and resolu¬ 
tions of the convention be published, and that two thousand copies 
thereof be published in German. A committee of three was ap¬ 
pointed on publication. 

Following the adjournment of this convention, January 9, 
another convention was held at Columbus to nominate a gov¬ 
ernor. 86 This convention consisted of many of the delegates to 
the first one, Jackson members of the legislature, and citizens of 

84 St. Clairsville Gazette, Jan. 26, 1828. 

95 Western Star and Lebanon (Ohio) Gazette, Feb. 1828. 

88 Ibid, Feb. 2, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 24, 1828. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northzvest. 25 

Columbus friendly to Jackson. 87 There were one hundred and 
two present from fifty-two counties. 88 One of the secretaries of 
the convention just held, Thomas R. Ross, was made chairman 
of the second convention, 89 and J. W. Campbell was nominated 
for governor. It would seem that this procedure was due to the 
fact that the delegates to the regular convention had not been in¬ 
structed to nominate a governor, as may be seen from the pro¬ 
ceedings of the county meetings, and hence they resorted to this 
second meeting. 

On January 8, 1828, the supporters of Jackson in Indiana also 
held a state convention at Indianapolis for forming an electoral 
ticket for the state. As early as January 1, 1827, a Jackson meet¬ 
ing was held at Vevay, Switzerland County, which appointed 
a committee of correspondence for the county, provided that this 
committee should appoint a committee of vigilance in each town¬ 
ship and requested the friends of Jackson in the several counties 
of the state to adopt similar measures. 90 But it was not until 
November following that steps were taken toward the state con¬ 
vention. On November 10, at a Clarke County Jackson meeting 
it was resolved “that this meeting consider it essential that a con¬ 
vention of the friends of General Jackson assemble at Indian¬ 
apolis, January 8 next, for the purpose of nominating a Jackson¬ 
ian electoral ticket and for other purposes; and that it is recom¬ 
mended that meetings be held in every county in this state as 
soon as possible and that delegates be appointed to act in concert, 
whereby a perfect understanding may exist and the whole force 
of the friends of the People’s Favorite stand united and invin¬ 
cible.” Whereupon two delegates to the convention and also a 
committee of correspondence for the county were chosen. 91 Fol¬ 
lowing this meeting notices were published in different papers, 
calling for meetings to be held at the county seats on December 
15, for the purpose of appointing committees of correspondence 

87 U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 24, 1828. 

88 Lebanon Gazette, Feb. 2, 1828. 

"Ibid, Feb. 2 and 9, 1828. 

80 National Republican, Jan. 19, 1827. 

“ Indiana Palladium (Lawrenceburgh), Nov. 24, 1827. 



26 


Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 


and delegates to the state convention. 92 In Dearborn County a 
preliminary meeting was held on December 3, which called a sec¬ 
ond meeting for the fifteenth 93 at which a committee of corre¬ 
spondence of thirty-nine members was appointed for the county 
and six delegates were appointed to attend the state convention. 94 
Similar meetings were held 1 in various other counties such as 
Orange, Switzerland, Knox, Rush, Hancock, Henry, and 
Marion. 95 

The state convention assembled on January 8, and held ses¬ 
sions on the eighth, ninth, and tenth. 96 Thirty-seven delegates 
were present from twenty counties. 97 It was “resolved that those 
members of the legislature who have not been delegated to this 
convention but who are friendly to the election of Jackson, be 
admitted as members of this convention.” Whereupon ten mem¬ 
bers were added, making forty-seven from twenty-five coun¬ 
ties. A committee composed of two from each of the five 
judicial circuits of the state was appointed which prepared an 
electoral ticket of five members. 98 An address to the people of 
Indiana was prepared by a committee of five. 99 A committee of 
two delegates from each judicial district was appointed to ad¬ 
vance the election of Jackson and to report to the convention the 
names of proper persons to constitute a central committee of cor¬ 
respondence and such other committees as might be deemed 
necessary throughout the state. 100 In accordance with their re¬ 
port a “committee of general superintendence” was appointed 
consisting of fifteen members, any five of whom had authority 
to act, whose duty it was to fill any vacancy which might occur 

82 7 ndiana Palladium, Nov. 17, 1827; Indianapolis Gazette Nov 27 

1827. 

93 Indiana Palladium, Dec. 8, 1827. 

94 Ibid, Dec. 22, 1827. 

95 Western Sun, Dec. 8 and 29, 1827; Jan. 12, 1828; Indianapolis 
Gazette, Dec. 25, 1827; Jan. 1, 1828. 

96 Indianapolis Gazette, Jan. 9, 1828; National Republican, Jan. 25 

1828. 

97 Indianapolis Gazette, Jan. 15, 1828. 

88 Ibid, Jan. 15, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 31, 1828. 

Western Sun, Jan. 26, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 31, 1828. 

100 Western Sun, Jan. 26, 1828. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 27 

in the electoral ticket, to insure the circulation of correct in¬ 
telligence among their friend's in every county and to provide the 
funds necessary to defray such expenses as might be incurred; 
and to adopt or recommend such measures as to them appeared 
expedient. 101 The members of this committee were requested 
to hold their first meeting at Salem on February 22. The friends 
of Jackson were requested to organize committees of correspond¬ 
ence in their counties and as far as possible, committees of vig¬ 
ilance in their townships and to transmit the names of the mem¬ 
bers of such committees to the state committee at Salem. The 
delegations in the state convention were to act in concert with 
the committees of correspondence in their respective counties. 102 
A committee of three was appointed on printing and was in¬ 
structed to publish the address of the convention; also to con¬ 
tract for five hundred copies and to raise the means for this 
object. 103 

In both Ohio and Indiana the county meetings left the selec¬ 
tion of the presidential electors to the state conventions of 1828 
and made no recommendations] as in 1824. In both states in 
1827 there was some development in township organization and 
in a few of the stronger Jackson centres the presidential question 
became influential in local politics. 104 

The Campaign in 1828 . 

In considering the development of Democratic party o^ 
ganization in Ohio in 1828, two features are conspicuous, th<* 
extension and prominence of township meetings and committees 
and the congressional district convention. Throughout the yeai 
there were township meetings which made organization in ac¬ 
cordance with the suggestions of county meetings or count} 
committees. In Belmont County township committees had beer;, 
appointed by the central committee by March, 1828. 105 During 
the summer and fall of 1828 meetings were held in the different 

101 U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 31, 1828; National Republican, Jan. 25, 1828. 

102 Indiana Palladium > Jan. 26, 1828. 

103 Ibid, Jan. 26, 1828; Western Sun, Jan, 26, 1828. 

101 Indiana Palladium, July 21, 1827; Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Oct. 
7, 1827. 

106 St. Clairsville Gazette, March 15, 1828. 



28 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

townships and' the size of the committees was much increased, 
several numbering about two hundred, one nearly four hum 
dred, 106 and the committees of eleven townships aggregating one 
thousand nine hundred and ninety-two. In the Smith township 
meeting it was resolved that the vigilance committee should in¬ 
clude every Jackson man in the township. 107 In two townships 
of Hamilton County the organization extended to the school dis¬ 
tricts, each one being represented in the vigilance committees of 
the townships. 108 The plan of meeting at stated intervals was 
adopted by the central committee in Hamilton 109 and Franklin 110 
Counties. The former met biweekly with the vigilance commit¬ 
tees of the townships; the latter held monthly meetings with 
delegates appointed by the monthly meetings of the township 
committees. 

The regular county convention, consisting of delegates ap¬ 
pointed by township meetings, occurred in several instances dur¬ 
ing the year 1828. As already observed, Hamilton County had 
introduced this method in 1825 * * 111 and Belmont had adopted it in 
1826, 112 but as yet the plan did not generally prevail. One of 
these conventions was held in Warren County, August 16, all the 
townships being represented by seventy-four delegates. 113 An¬ 
other was held in Hamilton County, August 23, attended by sev¬ 
enty-six delegates from the different wards and townships of 
the county. 114 Harrison 116 and Jefferson 116 Counties held similar 
conventions. These conventions and several county meetings 117 
held during this summer formed county tickets. 

109 St. Clairsville Gazette, Aug. 2 and 30, Sept. 13 and 27, Oct. 4 and 
11, 1828. 

107 Ibid, Aug 30, 1828. 

108 National Republican, June 27, Aug. 3, 1828. 

109 Ibid, May 20, 1828. 

110 Ohio Monitor, May 24, June 28, and Aug. 6, 1828. 

111 See p. 13. 

113 See p. 14. 

118 Lebanon Gazette, Aug. 23, 1828. 

u * National Republican, Aug. 26, 1828. 

118 St. Clairsville Gazette, June 28, 1828. 

118 U. S. Telegraph, July 2, 1828. 

117 National Republican, Aug. 8 and 12, 1828; Western Times, Sept. 
20, 1828. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northzuest. 29 


There are records of congressional district conventions in 
most of the fourteen districts of Ohio in 1828. 118 In some of the 
districts, as in the first, 118 second, 120 and ninth, 121 the delegates 
were appointed by townships directly, at the suggestion of the 
county committees or county conventions. In other districts, as 
the third, 122 eighth, 123 and tenth, 124 delegates were chosen by 
county meetings or committees which were not based on town¬ 
ship meetings. In at least two counties of the eleventh district, 
Harrison 125 and Jefferson, 126 the perfected system toward which 
all were tending was adopted, by which the delegates were sent by 
regular county conventions composed of regularly appointed 
delegates from township meetings. These congressional district 
conventions varied greatly in size and representation. In the 
ninth district the convention was attended by eighty-four dele¬ 
gates, 127 in the second by seventy-eight, 128 while in the third there 
were seventeen 129 and in the tenth only eleven. 130 Yet in the third 
district, six of the seven organized counties, and in the tenth dis¬ 
trict, three of the four counties, were represented. In the con¬ 
ventions most largely attended the delegations came directly from 
townships. In at least one of these conventions, that of the third 
district, there was appointed a Jackson corresponding committee 
of six members for the district. 

The Democratic young men of St. Clairsville and vicinity 
in Belmont County met in August, 1828, and called a convention 

118 National Republican, July 8, Aug. 5, and Sept. 2, 1828; Ohio 
Monitor, July 9, 1828; St. Clairsville Gazette, July 19, 1828; U. S. Tele¬ 
graph, July 18 and Aug. 29, 1828. 

119 National Republican, May 27, June 17, 20, and 27, 1828. 

120 Lebanon Gazette, Aug. 23, 1828. 

121 Ohio Monitor, July 9, 1828. 

122 National Republican, Aug. 5, 1828. 

™Ohio Monitor, June 21, July 5, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, June 30, 

1828. 

124 St. Clairsville Gazette, June 28 and July 12, 1828. 

125 Ibid, June 28, 1828. 

126 U. S. Telegraph, July 2, 1828. 

127 Ohio Monitor, July 9, 1828. 

128 National Republican, Sept. 2, 1828. 

129 Ibid, Aug. 5, 1828. 

120 St. Clairsville Gazette, July 19, 1828. 



30 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

of the young men of the county and appointed a committee to 
prepare an address. 131 This was one of the first of the move¬ 
ments of this kind which afterward became frequent. 

Evidence is not wanting that the newspaper played its part 
in the campaign of 1828 in Ohio. 132 Early in March the central 
committee of Belmont County called a meeting in St. Clairsville to 
form a “J ac kson Newspaper Club.” 133 At the monthly meeting 
of the Jackson committee of Franklin County with the delegates 
from the townships, resolutions were passed for extending the 
means of information by encouraging subscriptions to news¬ 
papers and “a gratuitous circulation of them among the desti¬ 
tute/’ 134 In April the committee of Anderson township, Hamil¬ 
ton County, adopted the following preamble and resolutions : 135 

‘ Whereas, This meeting has been informed that in many 
parts of the state, especially in the northern parts and in the 
Western Reserve, the people are destitute of Jackson newspapers, 
and are weekly inundated with the filthy stuff that issues from 
the Ebony gazettes, in consequence of which they have no certain 
authority by which to contradict the base calumnies that daily 
issue from those venal presses, 

“Resolved, That all those friendly to the cause who take 
Jackson papers, after perusal, be requested either to send them 
to this committee or enclose them to persons who they are con¬ 
fident will act faithfully, with the request to give them as wide 
a circulation as comes within the scope of their power and 
convenience. 


181 St. Clairsville Gazette, Aug. 30, 1828. 

182 The following from an editorial in the National Republican, 
quoted in the United States Telegraph, Aug. 29, 1828, gives some idea 
of the personalities indulged in by the press at that time: “We learn 
with mingled feelings of disgust and indignation that Henry Clay, the 
celebrated traveling preacher and political missionary of J. Q. Adams, 
is expected in this city tomorrow on his grand electioneering tour 
through Ohio. * * * It was earnestly desired by the real friends of 
our political institutions * * * that this last insult to the state might 
be avoided.” 

133 St. Clairsville Gazette, Mar. 8, 1828. 

134 Ohio Monitor, Aug. 6, 1828. 

136 National Republican, May 2, 1828. 




Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 31 

" Resolved, That the several committees in the state, if they 
have not already adopted the above plan, be requested to take the 
hint from this.” 

That this anxiety for the Western Reserve was not without 
cause is shown by the fact that while there were eight adminis¬ 
tration papers in that locality, no Jackson paper was published 
there until midsummer, when David B. McLain launched one in 
Cleveland. 136 Early in July, 1828, there were said to be twenty- 
three Jackson newspapers in Ohio, while at the last election it 
was said that there had been but five out of fifty for him in 
the state. 137 

Occasional references are found to financing the campaign. 
At a meeting of the Jackson general committee for Hamilton 
County in May, it was resolved “that the several ward and town- 
ship committees in this county be requested to appoint a fund 
committee in their respective wards and townships, for the pur¬ 
pose of receiving such contributions as may be given to promote 
the election of General Jackson, and that the same be paid over 
to the treasurer of the general committee of the county.” 138 In 
Richland township, Belmont County, a Jackson meeting in Sep¬ 
tember resolved, “that Mr. Marshall be appointed to receive the 
funds collected to pay for tickets and other incidental expenses 
connected with the presidential election, and to pay them out to 
the order of the Jackson central committee for Belmont 
County.” 139 It was further “resolved that a committee of four 
be appointed to receive contributions from citizens of Richland 
township, to be deposited with the treasurer appointed by the 
foregoing resolution for the purpose therein specified.” 

Some insight into the machinery of elections is occasionally 
given. At a Franklin County Jackson meeting those in attend- 

138 Ohio Monitor, July 30, 1828. 

137 U. S. Telegraph, July 21, 1828. James Heaton, commenting on 
the Democratic wave which was then sweeping over Ohio, wrote to 
Governor Allen Trimble: “The all devouring spirit of Jacksonism seems 
to have seized on all the faculties of the multitude.” See Old Northwest 
Genealogical Quarterly (Columbus, Ohio), XI, p. 16, Selections from the 
Papers of Gov. Allen Trimble. 

138 National Republican, May 27, 1828. 

138 St. Clairsville Gazette, Sept. 27, 1828. 



32 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

ance pledged themselves individually to bring forward every 
friend to the cause and to do all in their power to support the 
Jackson ticket at the ensuing election for county and state 
officers. 140 A notice in a Belmont County paper read: 141 “Jack- 
son electoral tickets, printed by order of the central committee, 
can be had by township committees and others on application at 
this office. Neighboring counties can be supplied to any extent.” 
At a Franklin County Jackson committee meeting it was resolved 
“that this committee consider the proposal of Moses Dawson, of 
Cincinnati, to furnish the Jackson committees throughout the 
state with tickets at fifty cents per thousand, an offer friendly to 
the cause of reform; and that this committee procure five thou¬ 
sand Jackson electoral tickets from him for Franklin County.” 142 
A Jackson meeting in Columbia township, Hamilton County, ap¬ 
pointed a committee of ten to attend the polls at election and 
distribute tickets. 143 

In Indiana in 1828, the township meetings and congressional 
district conventions which were then so prominent in Ohio, were 
almost entirely lacking. On the other hand, the influence of the 
state convention and the activity of the state central committee in 
Indiana were much more prominent than in Ohio. This com¬ 
mittee held several meetings and there are records of a series of 
county meetings which were due directly to the suggestion of the 
state convention and which made county and township organiza¬ 
tion as it had directed. Indeed the organizations in Indiana and 
Ohio were counterparts to each other, each supplying those ele¬ 
ments which the other lacked. In Indiana the party was organ¬ 
ized more from the centre—from the state conventions; in Ohio, 
from the local centres—townships and counties. The perfect 
system would be the combination of both. 

The state central committee held all its meetings at Salem. 
The first was on February 22, as requested by the convention. 
The comittee was increased by over a hundred members from all 
parts of the state and the chairman was authorized to add more 

140 Ohio Monitor, Oct. 15, 1828. 

141 St. Clairsville Gazette, Oct. 18, 1828. 

142 Ohio Monitor, Sept. 10, 1828. 

143 National Republican, Oct. 7, 1828. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 33 

members at his discretion. 144 At this meeting the committee 
nominated John C. Calhoun for vice-president. On March 22, the 
committee held an adjourned meeting, only fourteen members 
being present from seven counties. 145 Nineteen new members 
were added. The committee appointed for that purpose reported 
an address on the presidential election which was adopted and 
four thousand copies were ordered to be printed and circulated 
among the different counties of the state. 146 Several more 
meetings of the committee were held through the spring, summer, 
and fall and another address was published by it in October. 147 

The records of county and township meetings in Indiana in 
1828 are meager, although as stated, a number of counties held 
meetings which appointed county and township committees in 
pursuance of the recommendation of the state convention. 148 At 
successive meetings in Manchester township, Dearborn County, 
the desire was expressed to exclude the presidential question from 
state politics. 149 Just preceding the fall election committees were 
appointed in each township of Dearborn County to see that a 
sufficient number of tickets was provided at the polls. 150 

In both Ohio and Indiana there are traces of outside influence 
bearing upon the campaign of 1828. The Ohio central committee 
of correspondence wrote to the editor of the United States 
Telegraph : “Your circular has been gladly received. Assure 
yourselves of our faithful cooperation/’ 151 This suggests that 
campaign literature from Washington was used in Ohio. Like- 

144 Western Sun, Mar. 15, 1828. 

148 Indiana Palladium, May 8, 1828. 

146 This address was published in the local papers of the time, such 
as the Western Sun, Apr. 26 and the Indiana Palladium, May 10, and 
although it filled a page in these papers it contained only the usual cam¬ 
paign material. 

147 Western Sun, April 26, July 19-, Oct. 4, 1828; Indiana Palladium, 
Nov. 1, 1828. 

148 Indiana Palladium:, Mar. 15, May 3, June 28, Oct. 25, 1828; West¬ 
ern Sun, May 31, 1828; National Republican, Apr. 4, May 6, July 18, 1828; 
Indianapolis Gazette, Oct. 16, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, July 25, 1828, quot¬ 
ing Cincinnati Republican. 

148 Indiana Palladium, Mar. 15, May 3, 1828. 

180 Ibid, Oct. 25, 1828. 

101 U. S. Telegraph Extra, No. 28, Aug., 1828. 

Vol. XXIV —3. 



34 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

wise there is evidence that Indiana was well supplied with free 
Jacksonian literature from other quarters. 152 

The election gave a majority for Jackson in both states. In 
Ohio the returns were sixty-seven thousand against sixty-three 
thousand; 153 in Indiana they were twenty-two thousand against 
seventeen thousand. 154 In the congressional election in Ohio in 
1826 only four of the fourteen districts of the state had elected 
Jackson men. In 1828 Jackson congressmen were elected in 
eight districts. 155 These districts formed the east-central and 
southwestern parts of the state and in all but one, if not in all of 
these, Jacksonian nominating conventions had been held. In Indi¬ 
ana only one of the three congressmen elected was a Jackson 
man. 166 This was in the first or western district of the state in 
which the congressional elections were always closely contested. 
The Adams candidates together received a majority of five thou¬ 
sand five hundred. 157 In the local elections both states supported 
administration governors 158 and legislatures. 150 In other words 
these state elections were not conducted on strictly national party 
lines. The legislature of Ohio elected an Administration candidate 
to the United States Senate, though the majority was small. 160 

152 Lebanon Gazette, June 7, 1828, quoting Indiana Palladium. 

153 Ohio State Journal (Columbus, Ohio), Nov. 20, 1828. 

164 Indiana Palladium, Dec. 6, 1828. 

156 Ohio State Journal, Oct. 23, 1828; Niles' Register (Baltimore, 
Md.), XXXV, p. 148. 

™ Niles* Register, XXXV, p. 45. 

167 National Intelligencer (Washington, D. C), Oct. 23, 1828. 

168 The regular Jackson candidate for governor of Indiana in 1828, 
I. T. Canby, was opposed by James B. Ray, who had been an Administra¬ 
tion man but now claimed to be neutral and was elected. See Lebanon 
Gazette, July 26, 1828; also Niles* Register, Nov. 1, 1828, quoting Indian¬ 
apolis Gazette. Ray later became an avowed supporter of Jackson. See 
Globe (daily) (Washington, D. C.j, Dec. 24, 1831, quoting Indiana Pal¬ 
ladium, Dec. 10, 1831. 

169 Ohio Monitor, Dec. 24, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Sept. 10, 1830. 

180 American Annual Register (New York), III, Domestic Occur¬ 
rences, p. 157. 



CHAPTER II. 


SOLIDIFYING THE ORGANIZATION (OHIO AND INDIANA). 

The Period from 1829 to 1832. 

After the campaign of 1828 political party activity naturally 
subsided and until preparations were resumed for another presi¬ 
dential election the Jacksonian Democracy was comparatively 
quiet in the Northwest. The organization attained in 1828 was 
not brought into active use generally and became somewhat dor¬ 
mant. Certain active centers endeavored to maintain their organi¬ 
zations, but in general there was little in this interval to claim 
attention. 

Just after the presidential election, editorial cautions to Jack- 
sonians appeared in some papers urging them to remain well 
organized. 1 In pursuance to a call by the Democratic central com¬ 
mittee of Belmont County, Ohio, a large meeting was convened in 
St. Clairsville in March, 1829. 2 R. H. Miller addressed the meet¬ 
ing in behalf of the central committee, urged the necessity of unity 
of action, recommended a reorganization and tendered the resig¬ 
nation of the committee. It was resolved “that the organization 
of the Democratic party, which has proved so beneficial for the 
last two years, be continued.” Whereupon a new central 
committee of five was appointed for the ensuing year, which in 
turn appointed township committees of two throughout the 
county. 

While the United States Circuit Court was in session in 
Columbus, a Jackson meeting was held there in July, 1829, which 
prepared an address recommending conventions of delegates in 
the respective counties to be held as early as possible, as the best 
mode of uniting the party at the approaching October elections. 3 

1 Ohio Monitor, Nov. 28, 1828, quoting the People’s Press. 

2 St. Clairsville Gazette, Mar. 14, and May 16, 1829. 

8 U. S .Telegraph, July 31, 1829, quoting Ohio Monitor; Ohio State 
Buletin (Columbus), July 29, 1829; Western Times, Aug. 8, 1829. 

( 35 ) 



36 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

About the same time the Jackson executive committee of Cincin¬ 
nati issued a circular to the Jackson party in the State of Ohio, 
urging it to form a legislative ticket for the October election. 4 
“Every county,” said the State Bulletin, “is expected to make a 
regular convention nomination,” and this was done in many 
counties. 5 

During the spring and summer of 1830 more activity was 
shown in Ohio, because of the congressional and gubernatorial 
elections. In February a Democratic meeting was held at Colum¬ 
bus which recommended the electors throughout the state to meet 
at their respective county seats and choose as many delegates as 
they were entitled to members in the most numerous branch of the 
legislature, to attend a state convention to be held in Columbus, 
July 12, to nominate a suitable candidate for governor. 6 Only 
thirty-four counties or about half of those then in the state 
responded to this call by holding meetings and sending thirty- 
eight delegates to the convention. 7 Among the resolutions drafted 
by the convention was one to the effect that they heartily joined 
their “brethren” of Pennsylvania and New York in the hope that 
Jackson would again yield himself as a candidate for the presi¬ 
dency. A central committee of correspondence was appointed 
consisting of seven members, which published an address to the 
people of the state. 8 During August and September a series of 
county meetings was held for the purpose of forming tickets for 
the fall elections. Some counties were quite active and showed 
good organization, such as Belmont, Fairfield, Franklin, Dela¬ 
ware, Muskingum, and Hamilton. In such counties candidates 
were nominated by regular conventions composed of delegates 
from the townships, and there were county and township com¬ 
mittees. The Muskingum County convention appointed between 
three and four hundred upon the committee of vigilance for the 

4 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 19, 1829; U. S. Telegraph, Aug. 7, 1829, 
quoting National Republican. 

5 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 12 and 26, 1829. 

6 Western Times, March 4, 1830, quoting Ohio State Bulletin, Feb. 
24; Ohio elected a governor every two years. 

7 Ohio Monitor, July 14, 1830. 

* Ohio State Bulletin, Sept. 22, 1830. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 37 

county.® In Franklin County the committee of vigilance pre¬ 
pared and published an address to the electors of the county and 
distributed one hundred copies of it in each township. 10 While 
this committee approved the nominations which had been made 
by the party for governor and for congressman in that district, 
concerning the state legislature the committee expressed them¬ 
selves thus: “We cannot say anything in allusion to a candidate 
for representative in the state legislature. The views and inten¬ 
tions of the Republican party are not yet fully settled on this sub¬ 
ject and we have no individual in particular to whom we can 
direct attention at this time. At a future period the preferences 
of the party may be more particularly defined.” This indicates 
that in local matters in Franklin County, party lines were not then 
clearly drawn. But in Hamilton County, a full Jackson ticket for 
state and county offices was prepared by a convention composed 
of duly appointed delegates from most of the townships of the 
county and wards of Cincinnati, and it was resolved that “no 
person will be considered a candidate for any office by this con¬ 
vention who will not pledge himself either in writing or by his 
friends present to abide the result, and to agree to support the 
entire ticket nominated by the majority.” * 11 It was further 
resolved that all the delegates attending the convention should act 
as committees of vigilance at the ensuing election in their respec¬ 
tive townships and wards. 

The congressional district convention was much less in evi¬ 
dence than in 1828. Perhaps the most interesting was that of the 
eighth district which was first appointed for Sunbury, Delaware 
County, June 8; 12 then for Newark, Licking County, August 7; 13 
and finally an adjourned meeting was held at Mt. Vernon, Knox 
County, August 21. 14 This shifting seems to have been due to 
lack of attendance until finally all the counties of the district were 

9 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 25, 1830. 

10 Ibid, Sept. 22, 1830. 

11 National Republican, Sept. 3, 1830. 

13 Ohio State Bulletin, Apr. 21, 1830; Ohio Monitor, June 2 and 9, 

1830. 

” Ohio Monitor, July 14 and 21, 1830. 

14 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 25, 1830; U. S. Telegraph, Sept. 3, 1830. 



38 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

represented at Mt. Vernon. The mode of procedure in calling the 
district convention was for a county meeting to take the initiative 
and propose it, suggesting a time and place and the other counties 
of the district would then hold meetings and fall in line by 
appointing delegates. In Fairfield County two delegates were 
appointed from each township to attend the convention of the 
ninth congressional district, 15 but in the eighth district the coun¬ 
ties had sent from three to four delegates each to the convention. 
The Delaware County meeting had suggested three from each 
county, 16 while the Coshocton County meeting favored twice the 
number to which each county was entitled representatives in the 
state legislature. 17 At this convention a committee of three was 
appointed to draft an address to the electors of the district and a 
corresponding committee consisting of three in each county was 
appointed for the district. 18 The chief work of the convention 
was, of course, to nominate a candidate for congress. 

As the result of the state election of 1830 in Ohio, while 
the Jackson party claimed a very small majority in the state leg¬ 
islature, 19 it lost two representatives in congress, the second and 
eighth districts having elected opposition men, so that instead of 
the districts being eight to six for Jackson, as in 1828, they were 
now eight to six against him. 20 

The year 1831 was a quiet one in Ohio politics. In Jan¬ 
uary, as is well known, fifty-two members of the legislature ad¬ 
dressed a letter to Jackson, soliciting him to be a candidate again 
for the presidency. But this is a part of the national story of 
the preparation for the second term. A number of county con¬ 
ventions were held during the summer and fall which formed 
county tickets. In Fairfield County the preliminary meeting for 
calling a convention resolved “that a committee of fourteen per¬ 
sons be appointed to consist of one from each township, whose 
duty it shall be to put up four notices at the most public places 

15 Ohio Monitor, June 9, 1830. 

16 Ohio State Bulletin, Apr. 21, 1830. 

17 Ohio Monitor, July 14, 1830. 

18 Ohio State Bulletin, Aug. 25, 1830; U. S. Telegraph, Sept. 3, 1830. 

19 Ohio State Bulletin, Nov. 24, 1830. 

20 Ohio State Gazette (Delaware), Nov. 4, 1830. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 39 

in their townships, informing the electors when and where the 
township meetings are to be held”, for the purpose of electing 
delegates to the county convention. 21 It was also resolved that, 
“no elector intending to offer himself as a candidate before the 
people shall be entitled to a seat as a member in the convention.” 

The chief political interest of the year was the preparation 
through county meetings for the state convention which was to 
be held, January 8, 1832, 22 for the purpose of nominating a gov- 
ernor, choosing presidential electors, and also delegates to the 
first national nominating convention of the party which was to 
meet at Baltimore the following May. This state convention was 
attended by two hundred and forty-nine delegates 23 from fifty- 
four counties 24 and held its sessions on January 9 and 10. It 
was resolved “that when this convention proceeds to nominate a 
candidate for governor, any member of the convention shall have 
the privilege of rising in his place and naming any individual.” 
The selection was by ballot, a majority of the whole number 
being necessary to a choice. Each congressional district through 
its delegates, chose two delegates to the Baltimore convention and 
one presidential elector. A committee composed of one mem¬ 
ber from each congressional district of the state, chosen by the 
respective delegations, selected four additional delegates at large 
to the Baltimore convention, two senatorial electors and five con¬ 
tingent electors. There were thus selected thirty-two delegates 
to the national convention, sixteen presidential electors and five 
contingent electors. The convention appointed a central corre¬ 
sponding committee of seven for the state; a central correspond¬ 
ing committee of eight for each of the fourteen congressional 
districts ; 25 and central committees for the counties. 28 A spirited 
address and set of resolutions were adopted and ten thousand 
copies of the proceedings were ordered to be published. 

21 Globe, Aug. 29, 1831, quoting Ohio Eagle. 

22 This date fell on Sunday, so the convention met on the ninth. 

23 Globe, Jan. 19, 1832, quoting Ohio Monitor. 

24 Columbus (Ohio) Sentinel, Jan. 10 and 17, 1832. 

“ National Republican, May 1, 1832; Columbus Sentinel , July 19, 
and Aug. 10, 1832. 

M Columbus Sentinel, Apr. 5, 1832; Globe, Aug. 16, 1833, quoting 
St. Clairsville Gazette. 



40 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

In Indiana even more than in Ohio there was a period of in¬ 
activity in political affairs after the campaign of 1828. For two 
years following this campaign politics slept and both county and 
state organizations fell into disuse. 27 In the spring of 1830 can¬ 
didates for state and county offices were announced individually 
by the editors in their papers. 28 In some papers there appeared 
a “Candidates’ Department” in which the various candidates’ 
names were published under the names of the respective offices 
to be filled, and these were inserted from week to week until the 
election. 29 This mode of presenting candidates of course still 
obtains with this essential difference, that now such candidates 
are sifted before election by nominating conventions while then 
it was open for all until the day of election when a choice was 
made from the many. The Indiana legislature elected in 1830 
was safely for Clay as usual and elected a United States Sen¬ 
ator of the same persuasion. 30 

In August 1830 there appeared at Indianapolis Volume I, 
Number I of the Indiana Democrat, edited and published by A. 
F. Morrison who had already been an active Democratic leader 
and the editor of the Republican Statesman in Charlestown, 
Clark County. 31 He wrote stirring editorials for party organiza¬ 
tion and for a state convention and sounded a new note by say- 

87 It was at this time of political inactivity that the following re¬ 
markable forecast of political events appeared as an editorial in a Whig 
paper, the Indianapolis Gazette, June 11, 1829: “From every account, 
we are more and more constrained to believe that General Jackson will 
be a candidate for reelection for president of the United States for the 
next four years; and we believe it will not b.e from any eagerness on 
his part to continue in office; but from the impossibility of his friends 
uniting on any other individual. The friends of General Jackson who 
are advocates of domestic industry, and there are many, particularly in 
the West, will not support Mr. Calhoun, the avowed opponent of the 
policy; neither will the southern people support an advocate of the tariff. 
It is therefore highly probable that the contest will be between Mr. Clay 
and General Jackson; and General Jackson’s election will depend on his 
acts as president.” 

19 Western Sun, March 20 and 27, 1830. 

29 Ibid, Apr. 3, 1830, et. seq. 

30 Niles Register, XXXIX, pp. 55, 302, 334. 

n Indiana Palladium, Nov. 24, 1827; Nov. 21, 1829. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 41 

ing: “Let it be distinctly known that it is only the intention to 
elect to the legislature such persons as will render a candid, hon¬ 
est and fair support to the general administration. No man 
should have the confidence of Jackson men unless he will un¬ 
equivocally pledge himself thus far.” 32 But despite these urgent 
editorials, Indiana waited a year before calling another regular 
state convention. 

A meeting of the Democratic members of the general assem¬ 
bly of Indiana and others convened at the governor’s house in 
December, 1830. 33 Five thousand copies of the president’s mes¬ 
sage were ordered to be published for distribution throughout the 
state. A standing central committee of twenty members was 
appointed for the state with intsructions to publish an address 
to the people of Indiana. This committee met a few days later 
and organized, choosing A. F. Morrison as secretary “for the 
term of its necessary existence.” A subcommittee was appointed 
to prepare and publish the address which appeared the following 
May in pamphlet form. 34 It was resolved “that this committee 
will endeavor to designate a committee of five persons in every 
county in the state, as a county corresponding committee, and 
that said committees be requested to organize committees of vigi¬ 
lance in the several townships of their counties, and all such 
committees are invited to correspond freely with the central 
committee through their chairman and secretary at Indianapolis.” 

Notwithstanding this excellent plan there is little evidence of 
activity during the ensuing few months. Dearborn County seems 
to have been the most active and best organized in the state in 
1831. A county meeting was held in March preparatory to a 
county convention in April. At the preparatory meeting it was 
resolved to “unite in the support of suitable and well qualified 
persons, friendly to the republican principles of the present 
administration, for United States, state and county officers at the 
approaching election.” 35 The convention was attended by dele¬ 
gates from the townships and nominated a ticket for the August 

32 Indiana Democrat (Indianapolis), Oct. 2, 1830. 

33 Western Sun, Jan. 22, 1831; U. S. Telegraph, Jan. 19, 1831. 

34 Western Sun, May 21, 1831; Indiana Democrat, May 7 and 14, 1831. 

86 Indiana Palladium, April 2, 1831; Western Sun, April 16, 1831. 



42 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

election. 36 The congressional election for the twenty-second con¬ 
gress and the state election were held in Indiana in August, 1831, 
and resulted in the election of a Jackson congressman in each of 
the three districts of the state, while as before, the opposition 
elected the governor and state legislature. 37 Thus while attempts 
were then being made to connect local and national politics, they 
still remained quite distinct in Indiana. 

Since January, 1828, no Democratic state convention had 
been held in Indiana. 38 In September, 1831, the editor of the 
Indiana Democrat heralded one in his columns. 39 “From various 
sources,” he wrote, “we are authorized to say that a state conven¬ 
tion will be held at Indianapolis on the second Monday of Decem¬ 
ber next, to nominate electors for president and vice-president.” 
It was recommended to the voters of the several counties to hold 
public meetings and elect one delegate from each township to the 
convention. In preparation, county meetings were held and dele¬ 
gates were appointed from most of the counties of the state. 40 In 
Dearborn County the meeting was composed of delegates ap¬ 
pointed by township meetings, 41 but in most of the counties there 
were no preliminary township meetings and the county meetings 
were merely gatherings of the friends of Jackson assembled “in 
pursuance of previous notice.” The number of delegates ap¬ 
pointed by the counties varied from one as in the case of Posey 42 
to forty in the case of Dearborn. 43 The Jefferson County meeting 
resolved that it was inexpedient to send more than the number 
of representatives to which the county was entitled in the state 
legislature and recommended the counties throughout the state to 
adopt this number. 44 

38 Indiana Palladium, April 30, 1831. 

37 Globe, Aug. 15 and 30, Sept. 1, 1831; Indiana elected a governor 
every three years. 

38 Indiana Democrat, Sept. 17, 1831. 

39 Western Sun, Sept. 17, 1831, quoting Indiana Democrat. 

40 Indiana Palladium, Oct. 22 and 29, Nov. 5 and 12, Dec. 10, 1831; 
Indiana Democrat, Oct. 15, Nov. 5 and 26, and Dec. 6, 1831; Western 
Sun, Nov. 12 and 26, and Dec. 3, 1831; Globe, Dec. 2 and 5, 1831. 

41 Indiana Palladium, Nov. 19, 1831. 

42 Western Sun, Dec. 3, 1831. 

43 Indiana Palladium, Nov. 19, 1831. 

44 Ibid, Oct. 15, 1831. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 43 

The delegates assembled December 12, and organized by 
appointing a president, two vice-presidents, and two secretaries. 45 
Forty counties were represented by one hundred and twenty-one 
delegates. It was resolved that the friends of the administration 
then at Indianapolis who had not been appointed as delegates, 
including A. F. Morrison, editor of the Indiana Democrat, be 
invited to take seats and participate in the proceedings of the con¬ 
vention. As a result of this resolution, twenty-one members were 
added making a total of one hundred and forty-two from forty- 
four counties. Five delegates were appointed to attend the 
national convention at Baltimore in May to nominate a vice- 
president to be run on the ticket with Jackson; also five electors 
for president and vice-president were chosen and four contingent 
electors. It was resolved “that the delegates present be requested 
to use their best exertions to create committees of vigilance and 
correspondence in their several counties for the purpose of corre¬ 
sponding with the state central committee at Indianapolis/’ A 
committee of two was appointed to receive contributions to 
defray the expenses of this convention. A state central com¬ 
mittee of twenty-four was also appointed. An address and reso¬ 
lutions were prepared and seven thousand copies were ordered to 
be printed and distributed throughout the state. 

The Campaign in 1832. 

After the state convention in January, the year 1832 brought 
no very conspicuous advancement in party organization in Ohio. 
County and township organizations through the appointment of 
committees were effected in many counties. The regular county 
convention, attended by delegates duly appointed by the town¬ 
ships, for forming tickets and appointing delegates to district 
conventions, became more common throughout the state although 
it was not invariably adopted. The district convention had be¬ 
come the usual mode of nominating congressmen, but the Logan 
County meeting merely appointed a committee of five to corre¬ 
spond with the committees of the other counties of the congres- 

45 For account of convention see Western Sun, Jan. 7, 1831; Globe, 
Dec. 26, 1831, quoting Indiana Democrat. 



44 


Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 


sional district to nominate a suitable candidate for congress. 4 * 
The county nominating conventions, too, were sometimes 
mixed and irregular. A Shelby County meeting appointed a vigi¬ 
lance and corresponding committee of two in each township, who 
with as many friends as might see fit to attend, were requested to 
meet to consider forming a ticket to be supported at the annual 
election in October. 47 

The “Hickory Clubs” which had been organized in each ward 
of Cincinnati by the young men of the city in former campaigns 
were reorganized in the spring of 1832. 48 Some of the leading 
party papers of Ohio showed their zeal in the campaign by issuing 
extras during the two or three months preceding the fall elec¬ 
tion. 49 In one of these papers appeared the names of the “Na¬ 
tional Democratic Committee in Ohio,” three in number, who 
were appointed by the National convention at Baltimore in May 
under a resolution, “that a general corresponding committee from 
each state be appointed by the president of this convention.” 60 
This committee also constituted three of the seven members of 
the Ohio central committee, 51 and took the leading part in its 
work. 

There was noticeable activity on the part of committees espe¬ 
cially in connection with the fall elections. The corresponding 
committee of Franklin County appointed seventy-eight men, one 
in each school district of the county, “to take special charge of 
bringing Jackson voters within their respective school districts to 
the polls.” 52 In Crosby township, Hamilton County, a committee 
of two in each school district was appointed to induce people to 
attend the election and to provide them with tickets. 53 In Cin¬ 
cinnati sixteen persons were appointed in each ward to act as 
committees of vigilance at the polls and one hundred bills contain- 

<s Columbus Sentinel, Aug. 30, 1832. 

"Ibid, Apr. 5, 1832. 

48 National Republican, Apr. 20, 1832. 

49 Columbus Sentinel, July 12, 1832; Ibid, Aug. 23, 1832, quoting Cin¬ 
cinnati Gazette. 

60 Globe, May 25, 1832. 

0 Columbus Sentinel, July 12, et al, 1832. 

* 2 Ibid, Oct. 4, 1832. 

63 National Republican, July 18, 1832. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 45 

ing the names of the Jackson electors were ordered to be printed 
and posted in conspicuous places near each ballot box in the 
county. 54 The state central committee inserted a card in the 
Democratic press requesting that a corresponding committeeman 
in each county transmit the earliest information possible concern¬ 
ing the vote for president to some member of this central com¬ 
mittee. 55 Another notice in the press called upon every corre¬ 
sponding committeeman to see that township and school district 
committees were supplied with Jackson tickets, and in case there 
was no printing office in any county, they were to apply to one of 
the Democratic printing offices in Columbus. 56 Just after the 
state election in October the state central committee tendered 
acknowledgements for the receipt of about one hundred letters 
from the different counties giving the results of the election. 57 
Finally the state committee formally retired from its duties after 
the November election and in doing so returned acknowledge¬ 
ments to the committees appointed in the several congressional 
districts of the state “for the prompt and efficient manner” in 
which they had “communicated intelligence, from time to time, on 
the subject of the late election.” 58 

Although 1832 was the year of the presidential election, it 
was a very quiet one in Indiana and there was no advancement in 
party organization. No systematic attempt seems to have been 
made to unite the Jackson forces for the state election in Au¬ 
gust, 59 but preparatory to the fall election a circular was issued to 
the friends of Jackson by the central committee of the state for 
the purpose of uniting the party. 60 

The election gave Jackson a good majority in both Ohio and 
Indiana in 1832 as in 1828. In Ohio Jackson received eighty-one 
thousand two hundred votes and Clay, seventy-six thousand five 
hundred, making a majority for Jackson of four thousand seven 

54 National Republican, Oct. 3, 1832. 

65 Columbus Sentinel, Oct. 25, 1832. 

66 Ohio Monitor, Oct. 17, 1832; Columbus Sentinel, Oct. 18, 1832. 

57 Columbus Sentinel, Oct. 18, 1832. 

68 Ibid, Nov. 15, 1832. 

69 Western Sun, Aug. 25, 1832, quoting Indiana Democrat, Aug. 18, 

1832. 


Western Sun, Oct. 20. 1832. 



46 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

hundred. 61 The vote in Indiana was thirty-one thousand five 
hundred for Jackson and twenty-five thousand five hundred for 
Clay, giving Jackson a majority of about six thousand. 62 In the 
Ohio congressional election, eleven of the nineteen 63 districts of 
the state elected Jackson men. 64 

Progress from 1833 to 1836. 

In 1833 the chief interests of the Democratic party in Ohio 
centered about the coming state convention and the beginnings of 
the cleavage in the party caused by the championship of Judge 
John McLean for president. This faction and disaffection first 
showed itself in relation to the tenure and authority of the state 
central committee and later in opposing the state convention. 
Early in August the state central committee which had retired the 
preceding November, 65 resumed its functions by issuing an ad¬ 
dress to the Democratic party in Ohio. 66 It recommended each 
county corresponding committee “to take immediate measures to 
ensure concert of action among their political friends for effecting 
a choice of candidates for state and county officers.” The address 
also favored county conventions as the best method of securing 
union and success. It was warmly seconded by a similar ad¬ 
dress issued soon afterward by the corresponding committee of 
Clermont County in which it stated: “It may be said that the 
powers of the central committee with those of the corresponding 
committees, have ceased with the occasion that caused their exist¬ 
ence. * * * We think otherwise ourselves.” 67 On the other 
hand, the editor of the Columbus Sentinel, while publishing the 


91 Niles* Register, Nov. 24, 1832. 

82 St. Joseph’s Beacon and Indiana and Michigan Intelligencer 
(South Bend, Ind.), Dec. 15, 1832. 

83 By the congressional apportionment Act of 1832, after the fifth 
census, the number of representatives from Ohio was increased from 
fourteen to nineteen and the legislature redistricted the state accordingly. 

84 Niles* Register, Oct. 27, 1832. In Indiana the congressional elec¬ 
tion was held in the odd years. 

“See p. 45. 

88 Globe, Aug. 16, 1833, quoting St. Clairsville Gazette. Also pub- 
lished in Columbus Sentinel, Aug. 8, 1833. 

91 Globe, Aug. 31, 1833. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 47 

address and claiming to support its recommendations, contended 
that the state committee had not existed since the act of dissolu¬ 
tion by the committee itself in the preceding November, and he 
questioned the authority of its action. 68 The state convention, he 
said, did not contemplate the organization of a permanent body 
and had not the power to do so. Later when considering the 
reorganization of the party, the Ohio Monitor said: 69 “A state 
convention ought also to be held for an organization of the 
Democratic party. The action of the last state convention has 
mostly ceased. Some honestly think it has altogether. The state 
central committee acted this season more tardily and reservedly 
from the consideration that very many considered they were 
functi officio , and probably there was a greater laxity with the 
county committees for the same reason. A fresh organization is 
important to a concerted action of the party.” The Sentinel was 
probably correct in its contention that the intended term of the 
committee had expired, but this mere technicality fails to explain 
the editor’s real motives. The committee favored Van Buren 
while the editor of the Sentinel did not and later came out openly 
for McLean. 

Meanwhile the question of holding a state convention arose 
and here again the Sentinel was opposed to holding it so early. 
It wished to give the sentiments for McLean more time to de¬ 
velop. 70 When it is considered that it was three years until the 
next presidential election, it must be admitted that, apart from 
partisan motives, the objection of the Sentinel was not without 
reason so far as it related to appointing delegates to a national 
convention. 

By November the movement for a state convention took defi¬ 
nite form. An editorial in the Columbus Monitor gave it the 
required stimulus, the substance of which was as follows : 71 “It 
is now well established that the Democratic party at large have 
determined on a National convention. * * * This must be 

constituted by primary conventions and these will differ in differ- 

68 Columbus Sentinel, Aug. 15 and 22, 1833. 

60 Ibid, Nov. 9, 1833, quoting Ohio Monitor, Nov. 6, 1833. 

70 Columbus Sentinel, Nov. 2 and 9, Dec. 7 and 17, 1833. 

71 Globe, Nov. 5, 1833, quoting editorial in Ohio Monitor. 



48 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

ent states, though probably each congressional district will be 
specially represented. Ohio, we doubt not, will hold a state con¬ 
vention; and we present for the consideration of the people a 
plan. We hope to receive an immediate reply from the Demo¬ 
cratic papers in this state, whether the people in their vicinity 
favor a state convention and how much of the following plan 
they think best suited to that object, viz.: 

“That a delegate convention for the State of Ohio be held at 
Columbus on the eighth of January next; 

“That every county send twice the number of delegates that 
it is entitled to senators and representatives in the general assem¬ 
bly, and that there be a delegate from every county that is not 
entitled to a full representative; 

“That such delegates be appointed by a county meeting 
* * * consisting of delegates from the townships; 

“That the townships send to such county convention a num¬ 
ber of delegates equal to their number of jurors.” 

The editor of the Lisbon (Ohio) Patriot wrote in similar 
vein: 72 “The importance of a state convention preparatory to a 
national convention must be apparent to every friend of Democ¬ 
racy. * * * It is necessary that we should have but one can¬ 

didate for each office, and the sooner we know who they are to be, 
the better for the harmony and welfare of the Democratic party. 
Wq go for a state and national convention.” 

The usual county meetings were held and delegates were 
appointed and on January 8, 1834, the convention assembled. Of 
the seventy-two counties then in the state, fifty were represented 
by two hundred twenty-nine delegates. 73 The nomination of 
Robert Lucas for a second term as governor was unanimous. 
Seats in the convention were offered to those Democrats present 
who had not been regularly appointed delegates from county con¬ 
ventions, which added somewhat to the number. The convention 
approved the plan for a national convention and suggested the 
second Monday in May, 1835, at Pittsburgh, for the time and 

72 Globe, Nov. 29, 1833, quoting Lisbon (Ohio) Patriot. 

79 Account of convention in Globe, Jan. 24, 1834, taken from Colum¬ 
bus Daily Advertiser; Indiana Democrat, Jan. 25, 1834, quoting Supple¬ 
ment to Cincinnati Republican. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 49 

place for holding it. The delegates from each of the nineteen 
congressional districts were asked to select a delegate to the 
national convention and to these, two senatorial delegates were 
added, making the same number for the state as it had repre¬ 
sentatives and senators in congress. It was resolved “that this 
convention disapprove of the appointment as delegates to the na¬ 
tional nominating convention, of any member of congress or 
other person holding any office under the government. ,, The 
delegates to the national convention were instructed to support 
Van Buren for president, with power to use their own judgment 
as to the vice-president, “so long as the candidate be of that 
branch of the Democratic family termed Jeffersonian.” 74 A 
state central committee of nine members was appointed. 75 The 
delegates from each county were requested to report one person as 
a member of the congressional district corresponding committee 
and six persons to compose a corresponding committee for the 
county. These were appointed and after a three days* session 
the convention adjourned. 

This convention aroused some opposition among the sup¬ 
porters of McLean 76 which was expressed in several county 
meetings 77 and by the Sentinel, 78 but on the whole its influence 
prevailed with the party. The year 1834 witnessed the recur¬ 
rence of the congressional and gubernatorial elections in Ohio 
and the United States Bank was the question at issue. The usual 
county and district conventions were held. Party organization 
and methods were being perfected in county, district and state. 
The usual method of nomination in county conventions was by 

14 Globe, Jan. 18, 1834. 

78 Columbus Sentinel, Jan. 21, and Fe!b. 15, 1834. 

76 The reason given by one of the prominent supporters of Judge 
McLean in Ohio for presenting him as a candidate for the presidency 
was: “We must have a candidate upon whom the opposition [Whigs] 
can unite, but in addition to this, we must have one who can take some 
strength from the Jackson party.” See Western Hemisphere (Columbus, 
Ohio), Jan. 27, 1835, taken from Cleveland Whig, Jan. 21, 1835. He did 
draw men from the Jackson party for a time but he was later super¬ 
seded by Harrison as the Whig candidate and the McLean movement 
was dropped. 

77 See files of Columbus Sentinel for February. 

"Ibid, Jan. 21, and Feb. 15, 1834. 

Vot XXIV —4. 



50 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

ballot and a majority of the votes was required for a choice. The 
tickets were sometimes prepared by committees composed of one 
from each township. The Democrats reelected Lucas for gov¬ 
ernor by a small majority but elected only nine of the nineteen 
congressmen and were left in the minority in the state legis¬ 
lature. 79 

One needed reform in organization was for the members of 
the state central committee to reside in or near Columbus instead 
of being widely scattered over the state, in order that they might 
work together more effectively. 80 The editor of the Western 
Hemisphere had urged this before the election and later he re¬ 
newed his efforts. In December, 1834, he wrote a stirring edito¬ 
rial on party organization. 81 “The first step to be taken,” he said, 
“is to summon and hold a state convention. On this convention 
will devolve the duty of making an efficient organization. An 
active state central committee must be reappointed, all of whose 
members should reside at the seat of government. * * * 

Many and serious were the disadvantages which resulted from 
the members of the present committee not residing in town. * * * 
County and township committees also should be appointed, the 
former to correspond with and report to the state central com¬ 
mittee ; the latter to establish and maintain a similar correspond¬ 
ence with the committees of each county.” The effects of this 
editorial were referred to in a later one on the same subject, in 
which the writer said his suggestion had been “poorly received 
except in some portions of the state.” 82 He still believed that a 
convention should be held during the coming summer, but nothing 
further seems to have been done concerning it until June, when 
the movement was begun for holding the regular biennial con¬ 
vention. 

On June 12, 1835, a meeting in Columbus, held pursuant to 
public notice, recommended the Democratic citizens to assemble 
in their respective counties and elect delegates to a state conven¬ 
tion to be held January 8, 1836, for the purpose of choosing 

79 Western Hemisphere, Oct. 22, 1834. 

*°Ibid, Sept. 17, 1834. 

81 Ibid, Dec. 2, 1834. 

83 Ibid, Jan. 27, 1835. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 51 

electors for president and vice-president and nominating a candi¬ 
date for governor. 83 The meeting further recommended the 
organization of the party in the several counties of the state pre¬ 
paratory to the next annual elections. These recommendations 
were published in the Democratic papers of the state. A sena¬ 
torial district convention at Wapakoneta, August 6, in which the 
six counties of the district were represented, recommended hold¬ 
ing a state convention at the usual time, but left it to the counties 
to appoint their own delegates. 84 The state central committee 
later took up the matter and recommended holding the conven¬ 
tion. 85 During August and September a large number of county 
meetings were held to nominate candidates for county offices and 
they usually appointed delegates to the state convention. 88 
Almost all of these meetings werq regular conventions composed 
of delegates from the townships. A number of things done in 
the conventions indicate an improvement in political methods and 
a solidifying of party organization. The delegates to both county 
and state conventions were often provided with credentials. 87 
A meeting in Wayne County preparatory to a county convention 
resolved “that no delegate of said convention ought to be nomi¬ 
nated as a candidate for any office by said convention.” 88 At a 
preliminary meeting in Fairfield County, a committee reported 
that “it was of the opinion that it would afford as general satis¬ 
faction to proceed at once to a choice of candidates to be recom¬ 
mended at the ensuing election, as to make that choice through 
the medium of a convention.” 89 When this question was put to 
the meeting, it was disagreed to by a large majority. At the 
meeting of this county convention, it was resolved, as it had been 
before in Hamilton County, 90 that no one should be considered a 
candidate for any office by the convention who would not agree 

83 Western Hemisphere, June 17, 1835. 

84 Ibid, Aug. 26, 1835. 

“Ibid, Dec. 2, 1835. 

89 See files of Western Hemisphere for these months. 

87 Ibid, Sept. 16, 1835, Stark County convention; et al. 

“Ibid, Sept, 2, 1835. 

80 Ibid, Sept. 2, 1835, quoting Ohio Eagle. 

00 See p. 37. 



52 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

to abide by its decision. 91 The method of nominating a county 
ticket by appointing in the convention a nominating committee 
composed of one member from each township had become com¬ 
mon. The convention system was now often applied for nom¬ 
inating representatives and senators for the state legislature. 
The counties composing the representative and senatorial districts 
sent delegates to a district nominating convention. When such 
district conventions were not held, the county conventions in the 
district made nominations separately for these offices. Frequently 
one county convention took the initiative and others of the dis¬ 
trict seconded its nomination. The fall election of 1835 gave the 
Democrats a large majority in the state legislature of Ohio which 
during the previous year had been Whig. 02 

After the election those counties which had not already done 
so held conventions and appointed delegates to the state conven¬ 
tion. 93 The method of appointing these delegates was sometimes 
noteworthy. Usually the county convention appointed a certain 
number from each township or directed the delegates from the 
respective townships to appoint them. The Belmont County con¬ 
vention resolved that their “Democratic brethren assemble in their 
respective counties and elect a number of delegates to said 
[state] convention equal to three times the number of senators 
and representatives which their county sends to the general 
assembly and that the delegates be furnished with a certificate of 
the time and manner of their election.” 94 Whereupon nine dele¬ 
gates were appointed from that county. In Highland County, a 
committee of four was appointed to fill vacancies in the delega¬ 
tion, 95 a power usually given directly to the delegates. The 
Hamilton County convention recommended each township and 
ward to appoint a delegate. 96 The number appointed in the 

61 Western Hemisphere, Sept. 16, 1835, quoting Ohio Eagle. 

83 Ibid, Oct. 28, 1835. 

83 See files of Western Hemisphere for November and December, 

1835 . 

“Ibid, Sept. 2, 1835. 

95 Ibid, Dec. 9, 1835. 

“Ibid, Sept. 9, 1835, quoting National Republican. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 53 

counties varied greatly. Hardin appointed three, Miami sixty. 07 
Ross appointed one for each one thousand population. 98 

The convention organized January 8, 1836, by electing a 
president, one vice-president from each congressional district, 
and six secretaries. 99 The whole number in attendance was said 
to be about eight hundred of which over four hundred were duly 
appointed delegates. Almost every county was represented. 100 
The number of delegates from the different counties varied from 
one to thirty-eight. It is interesting to compare the number in 
attendance with the number appointed in some of the counties. 
Of the sixty appointed by Miami, nine attended. Of the fifty- 
seven appointed by Muskingum, eighteen attended. Jefferson 
appointed nine and seven attended; while Fairfield appointed 
twenty-eight and thirty-eight attended. It was resolved that in 
nominating a candidate for governor, the number of votes to be 

07 Western Hemisphere, Dec. 19 , 1835 . 

88 Ibid, Sept. 2 , 1835 . 

89 For account of convention see Western Hemisphere, Jan. 9 and 
13 , 1836 . 

100 The difficulties encountered by the delegates in attending this con¬ 
vention from remote parts of the state were revealed in connection with 
the convention of Jan. 8, 1838 , in a protest by the editor of the Warren 
News Letter against holding conventions at that time of the year. See 
Ohio Statesman (Columbus), Nov. 7 , 1837 , quoting editorial in Warren 
News Letter. The writer very sensibly urged some time in May or the 
fourth of July as a more suitable time. In speaking of attending the 
convention of 1836 he said: “The roads were literally impassable. The 
stages on many of the routes were taken off and the members were 
obliged to tarry at Columbus for weeks or ‘go round by the bridge/ The 
latter alternative many of them chose. We well remember that on that 
occasion the delegates from Cincinnati were obliged, in order to get to 
their homes, to go to Wheeling and there take a boat and descend the 
river. The delegates from Cuyahoga and Lorain were also compelled to 
return by the National Road via Wheeling, and from that city they went 
up the river to Beaver, Pa., and from there by stage to Cleveland; and 
we shall not soon forget the sufferings we endured going and returning 
on that same occasion. Therefore we object to the time.” In favor of a 
later date he wrote: “It is early enough. The country wants repose, a 
little respite from the clamor of political strife. In July the roads will be 
good, travelling pleasant and comfortable and a convention at that time 
would be fully attended.” This wise protest however was unavailing and 
the next convention was held at the usual time, January 8, 1838 . 



54 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

given should be equal to the number of representatives in the 
lower house of the state legislature, which votes should be cast 
viva voce by the delegates from each representative district by 
such person or persons as they might agree upon; a majority of 
all the votes being necessary to a choice. The delegates from 
each congressional district were directed to select and report to 
the convention the name of one elector to represent their district 
in the electoral college. A committee consisting of one from 
each congressional district was chosen to select the two senatorial 
electors. The delegates from each congressional district were 
also directed to report to the convention the names of one person 
in each county, as a committee of correspondence for the district, 
except where the district was composed of but one county, in 
which case the committee should consist of three members. The 
needed reform in the state central committee perviously men¬ 
tioned was effected by appointing five members who resided in 
and near Columbus and whose duty it was “to correspond with 
and obtain information from the several Democratic county and 
district committees in this state in relation to all matters con¬ 
nected with the proceedings and objects of this convention.” The 
central committee was given power to fill all vacancies in its 
own number and in the electoral ticket formed by this convention, 
and to call another convention, by giving public notice thereof in 
the Democratic newspapers and such other notices as they might 
deem advisable. The president of the convention was directed 
to appoint a committee to prepare the usual address to the people 
of Ohio and publish the proceedings of the convention. 

The chief political events in Indiana in 1833 were the con¬ 
gressional election, 101 which then came in odd years in that state, 
and a state convention for the nomination of governor and the 
appointment of delegates to the next national nominating con¬ 
vention. In Indiana and Ohio, delegates were appointed to the 
next national convention within a year after the beginning of the 
presidential term and almost three years before the next election. 
In this year also in Indiana the congressional district convention 
first claims attention in some of the districts. 

101 By the congressional apportionment Act of 1832, after the fifth 
census, the number of representatives from Indiana was increased from 
three to seven and the legislature redistricted the state accordingly. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 55 

The following examples indicate that in the sixth and 
seventh districts very representative conventions were planned. 
A meeting in Addison township, Shelby County, in April recom¬ 
mended the Democrats of that congressional district to call meet¬ 
ings in each township and elect delegates to county conventions 
for the purpose of sending five delegates from each county to a 
district convention to be held in Indianapolis in May. 102 This 
township meeting appointed five delegates to the county conven¬ 
tion and requested the other townships of the county to do the 
same. A congressional district convention was held in Lafayette 
in June, and although five counties containing two-thirds of the 
population of the district were represented, an adjourned and 
more representative session was called for July 4. 103 

The movement for the state convention began in August and 
seems to have been directed by the press rather than by a state 
committee. An editorial in the Indiana Democrat stated that the 
necessity of calling the convention had been urged by a great 
number, that the Democrats were unanimously in favor of the 
measure, and suggested the holding of meetings at an early period 
to carry the measure into effect. 104 In a later editorial the writer 
said the public feeling in favor of a convention was so general 
that he could not hear of any portion of the state where the people 
were not “up and doing.” 105 

After the usual series of preparatory county conventions the 
state convention assembled, December 9, 1833. 106 It was organized 
by appointing a president, two vice-presidents and two secretaries 
and the delegates presented credentials. At first forty-one 

102 Indiana Democrat, Apr. 20, 1833. 

103 Ibid, June 29, 1833, quoting Wabash Mercury. Further accounts 
of these conventions are wanting. How generally these district conven¬ 
tions were held in Indiana in 1833 does not appear in the contemporary 
newspaper files which are somewhat less complete than usual for this 
year, but the election returns indicate that the Jackson men in all but 
the second district, which they lost, were well united on the one successful 
candidate. In the second district the Democratic votes were scattered, 
indicating that no convention had been held. 

104 Indiana Democrat, Aug. 31, 1833. 

106 Globe, Nov. 20, 1833, quoting Indiana Democrat. 

IM For account of convention see Indiana Democrat, Dec. 11, 1833. 



56 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

counties were represented by one hundred forty-eight delegates. 
The ratio of the number of delegates attending to the number 
appointed by the different counties varied as usual. The three 
appointed by Hancock all attended and while Madison appointed 
but two, its representation was five. On the other hand, of the 
eight delegates appointed by Dearborn, but one attended and 
Pike which had appointed four, was unrepresented. It was re¬ 
solved that the Democratic senators and representatives of the 
legislature of Indiana, be admitted to take part in all the delibera¬ 
tions of the convention. The Democratic citizens who were 
present from unrepresented counties of the state were also invited 
to become members of the convention. Whereupon fifteen 
names were added representing eight more counties. The method 
adopted for nominating a governor was suggested by a commit¬ 
tee representing all the congressional districts of the state and 
was similar to that which was later adopted in the Ohio conven¬ 
tion of 1836 already mentioned . 107 In both cases the number of 
votes was to be the same as the number of representatives in the 
state legislature. The rules of the house of representatives of 
the state were adopted in substance as the rules of the conven¬ 
tion. It was generously resolved that the convention would waive 
any nomination or recommendation at that time for the presi¬ 
dency or vice-presidency and that its members would cheerfully 
support the leaders of the party. The delegates of each con¬ 
gressional district were directed to confer together and report to 
the convention three persons from that district to attend the next 
Democratic national convention. The Democratic senators and 
representatives of Indiana in congress were also asked to attend. 
The delegates to the national convention were requested, in case 
of any change of events rendering it necessary, to call primary 
meetings for the appointment of delegates to conventions in each 
congressional district to instruct said national delegates; and if 
in such case, these delegates failed to call for instructions, the 
convention advised that the people hold meetings and appoint 
delegates for such purpose. The delegates were empowered to 
fill vacancies in their number from the districts in which the 


107 See pp. 53 and 54. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northzvest. 57 

vacancies should occur. A central corresponding committee of 
twenty-one members, three from each congressional district, was 
appointed whose duty it was to determine the time and place of 
holding the next state convention and also to act as a committee 
of vigilance in promoting the election of the candidates nominated 
by this convention. All the Democratic journals of the state 
were requested to publish the proceedings of the convention. In 
the same issue of the Indiana Democrat in which the account of 
the convention appeared, the editor wrote: “We shall hear no 
more, we presume, of the opposition to conventions in Indiana, 
and particularly from those who profess to be our friends. 
* * * We consider the system now established upon so firm a 

basis, that our opponents can no longer indulge the vain hope of 
overturning it.” 

Although the regular congressional elections occurred in 
Indiana in 1835 , political party activity was at a low ebb. The 
existing files of contemporary newspapers have little to say con¬ 
cerning the congressional campaign, yet the Democratic candi¬ 
dates succeeded in every district . 108 An interesting meeting of 
“members of all political parties” was held in Franklin County 
in February “for the purpose of devising some scheme to allay 
party excitement .” 109 It was resolved “that this object could best 
be obtained by the selection of a candidate for the presidency in 
whom the people of all parties could confide.” A resolution 
nominating Harrison for president was first offered. It was 
then proposed to substitute the nominee of the Democratic 
national convention. This failing it was proposed to substitute 
Van Buren for president and Harrison for vice-president. This 
in turn was abandoned and the original resolution was adopted. 
This meeting seems to have been an attempt by the Whigs to 
enlist all the citizens of the county in support of Harrison on 
non-partisan grounds. The Democrats were not satisfied with 
the nomination and within a few weeks they held a meeting and 
passed resolutions supporting Van Buren and Johnson, approv¬ 
ing the national convention to be held at Baltimore, appointing 
a vigilance committee of over sixty, and recommending a county 

108 Indiana Democrat, Sept. 23, 1835, official returns. 

100 Indiana Palladium, Feb. 21, 1835., 



68 


Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 


convention in May, “having in view the sustenance of their 
principles.” 110 

Following the congressional elections, the chief political 
interest of the year among the Democrats in Indiana was the 
preparation for the state convention in January, 1836. Again, 
as in 1833, party newspapers of the state led and directed the 
movement. An editorial in the Democrat, early in September, 
presented the matter by saying: * 111 “Within a few weeks it has 
been suggested to us by a number of the friends of the admin¬ 
istration in different parts of the state that it would be good 
policy to hold a state convention at Indianapolis on the eighth of 
January next for the purpose of forming an electoral ticket. 
* * * As the meeting of the legislature will afford the only 

good opportunity of procuring a full attendance of delegates, we 
approve the suggestion. * * * Primary meetings in all parts 

of the state will, of course, be held if the suggestion is generally 
approved and so far as we are informed the friends of the Admin¬ 
istration in this part of the state will unite in the convention.” 
In a later issue the editor wrote: 112 “We are now convinced that 
a Democratic state convention will be held during the ensuing 
session of the legislature. * * * The eighth of January 
appears to be the day most generally fixed on for that purpose.” 
Again he wrote: 113 “The editors of the Indiana Palladium 
warmly second the proposal of the Democrat for a convention.” 
Early in October the editor of the Western Sun wrote that the 
time for action had arrived and he proposed that meetings of all 
those friendly to the election of Van Buren and Johnson should 
be held in the several counties in the state on the second Saturday 
of November to elect delegates to the state convention. 114 He 
asked all the Democratic editors in the state to make similar 
appointments in their respective counties. A little later the editor 
of the Democrat wrote: 116 “Nearly all the Democratic editors in 

110 Indiana Democrat, Apr. 4, 1835. 

111 Ibid, Sept. % 1835. 

112 Ibid, Sept. 30, 1835. 

113 Ibid, Oct. 7, 1835. 

Western Sun, Oct. 10, 1835. 

118 Indiana Democrat, Oct. 21, 1835. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 59 

Indiana have come out in favor of the proposed state conven¬ 
tion.” By the end of November meetings appointing delegates 
to the convention had been held in most of the counties of the 
state. 116 A number of these meetings also effected county 
organization. 

The convention assembled on January 8, 1836, at Indian¬ 
apolis and two hundred eighty-one delegates representing sixty- 
two counties produced their credentials. 117 A committee was 
appointed, consisting of five members from each of the seven 
congressional districts, to nominate officers and recommend rules 
for the government of the convention. The officers appointed 
were a president, seven vice-presidents, one for each congres¬ 
sional district, and two secretaries, and the rules, of the house of 
representatives of Indiana were adopted so far as applicable for 
the convention. All those in attendance who were friendly to the 
election of Van Buren and Johnson, who were then members of 
the general assembly, or who had been members of any “Repub¬ 
lican” state convention or of the national convention, or who had 
been presidential electors, were invited to take seats as members 
of the convention. A committee composed of one from each con¬ 
gressional district was appointed to prepare an address and reso¬ 
lutions. The delegates from each congressional district nom¬ 
inated the presidential electors for their respective districts, and 
the two senatorial electors were nominated by a committee com¬ 
posed of five from each congressional district. An equivalent 
number of contingent electors were nominated. A majority vote 
in the respective districts was required for a choice of an elector 
and each county was allowed as many votes as it was entitled to 
members in the house of representatives. 

The nomination of presidential electors was the primary pur¬ 
pose for which the convention assembled, but perhaps no less 
important was its work in party organization. A committee of 
three from each congressional district was appointed to prepare 
and report to the convention a mode of organizing the party in 
the state. The report was adopted. It provided for a state cen- 

119 Western Sun, Nov. 21 and 28, 1835. 

117 See Western Sun , Jan. 23 and 26, 1836, for full account of the 
convention; account also in Globe, Feb. 19, 1836. 



60 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

tral committee of sixteen persons who should reside in or near 
Indianapolis; a committee of five in or near the center of each 
congressional district; and a committee of six in or near the 
center of each county. Each of these committees was authorized 
to fill any vacancy which might arise in its membership until a 
reorganization of the party by a subsequent state convention 
emanating from the people. A majority of the members of any 
of these committees constituted a quorum. The duties of the 
state central committee were: to correspond with the county 
committees; to collect political information and transmit it to the 
people throughout the state; to harmonize conflicting interests 
and secure the triumph of Democratic principles; to give notice of 
all vacancies which might occur in the departments of the govern¬ 
ment of the state; and to call a state convention whenever in their 
opinion, the public interest might demand it. The convention 
referred the naming of the members of the congressional district 
and county committees to the delegates present from the respec¬ 
tive districts and counties. In counties not represented in the 
state convention, the committees of the congressional districts in 
which they were located were to appoint their corresponding com¬ 
mittees. Thei duties of the county corresponding committees 
were: to appoint committees of vigilance in the townships with 
instructions to organize the townships by adding to their numbers 
all the Democratic citizens thereof; to apportion to each township 
its number of delegates to the county convention; to ascertain 
from the committees of vigilance the strength of the parties 
within their several townships and report the same to the state 
committee and to the congressional district committee annually 
as soon as practicable after the April election. The citizens of 
the townships were to appoint and instruct delegates to county 
conventions and these were to appoint and instruct delegates to 
representative, senatorial, and congressional district conventions. 
A committee of three was directed to publish twenty thousand 
copies of the proceedings of the convention and to collect the 
necessary contributions to defray the expense. It was the duty 
of another committee to invite Van Buren, Johnson, and Benton 
to visit Indiana during the ensuing season. The convention ad¬ 
journed on January 9. 


Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 61 


Organization in 1836. 

Some effects of the work of the state convention may be 
traced through the following months. The central committee held 
meetings in February and issued a circular to the voters of the 
state. 118 The plan of organization suggested by the state con¬ 
vention was not followed strictly by the committee but the end 
sought was the same. The circular recommended the Demo¬ 
crats to convene in the several townships early in April and 
choose committees of vigilance. These committees were to call 
township meetings and it was suggested that they prepare lists 
of the voters in each township noting their political affiliations ; 
also that they obtain assistance for supporting reading rooms in 
the more populous towns where the newspapers of the day might 
be made free and accessible to all. Those counties in which com¬ 
mittees had not already been appointed were urged to call conven¬ 
tions for that purpose. County and township organization was 
regarded as of the utmost importance, without which the work 
of the state committee would be in vain. It was urged that candi¬ 
dates for the state legislature be selected with special reference 
to their political opinions especially in view of the approaching 
election of a United States senator. 

An editorial in the Democrat in March observed that in 
many parts of the state the friends of the party were organizing 
in advance of the recommendation of the state committee in 
preparation for county conventions for the formation of Demo¬ 
cratic tickets to be supported at the August election. 119 “It is the 
duty of the county committees,” said the editorial, “to appoint 
the township committees. But when the county committees fail 
to act with energy, let the Democrats of the township go ahead 
themselves.” In Hamilton County the plan of organization sug¬ 
gested by the state convention was closely followed. The mem¬ 
bers of the county committee appointed by the state convention, 
met and appointed township committees. 120 These were re¬ 
quested to add to their number every Democratic voter in their 

118 Indiana Democrat, Feb. 24, and Mar. 2, 1836. 

119 Indiana Democrat Extra, March 16, 1836. 

120 Indiana Democrat, May 4, 1836. 



62 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

respective townships and to call a meeting to appoint one delegate 
for every thirty-three voters in the township to meet in county 
convention and nominate a ticket for the August election. A 
district convention, held in connection with the Lagrange County 
convention at Bloomfield in June, to nominate a candidate for 
representative to the state legislature, showed interest and united 
action. 121 The district embraced the counties of Lagrange, Noble, 
Steuben, and DeKalb and the several townships in the district 
were all represented. 

As the fall election approached the state central committee 
issued another address to the voters of the state, dwelling upon 
the importance of the election, and calling upon all citizens to 
do their duty. 122 A little later this committee recommended that 
a convention be held on January 8, 1837, for nominating candi¬ 
dates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor and 
suggested that township meetings be held on the twenty-sixth of 
November and county meetings for appointing delegates the week 
following. 123 An editorial in the same issue stated that meetings 
had already been held in several counties recommending a con¬ 
vention and appointing delegates. After the election in which 
Indiana gave Harrison forty-one thousand and Van Buren thirty- 
two thousand, 124 the central committee withdrew the call for the 
convention. 125 This action was explained by an editorial in the 
Democrat which stated that the presidential election had “caused 
a lukewarmness and indifference in the Republican [Democratic] 
ranks.” The people rather than the committee had lost confi¬ 
dence and felt that the Whig candidate would without doubt be 
elected. 

The congressional as well as the presidential election occur¬ 
red in Ohio in 1836 and the system of both district and county 
conventions was almost uniformly adopted. Some advancement 
was made in organization. In the district conventions the votes 

121 Indiana Democrat, June 22, 1836. 

m Ibid, Sept. 28, 1836. 

123 Ibid, Nov. 9, 1836. 

124 Official returns in Western Sun, Jan. 7, 1837. 

126 Indiana Democrat, Nov. 30, 1836. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 63 

of the counties were apportioned according to population. 126 
In Pickaway County all delegates to district and state conven¬ 
tions were provided with certified lists of their respective dele¬ 
gations. 127 The names of delegates to the county convention and 
of corresponding committees for the townships were sometimes 
sent directly to the county committee by the clerks of the town¬ 
ship meetings. 128 In a Muskingum County meeting a committee 
of five was appointed to communicate with several congressmen 
and invite them to visit Zanesville, and county and township com¬ 
mittees were appointed to serve until others should be duly 
appointed to succeed them. 129 A later meeting in the same county 
appointed a “congressional county committee” of five whose duty 
it was “to have general superintendence and direction over all 
documents and proceedings emanating from the Democratic party 
or any member thereof in the approaching electioneering con¬ 
test.” 130 This committee was to cooperate with the central com¬ 
mittee of the county. A Hamilton County meeting recommended 
the county convention not to nominate any one for office who 
would not pledge himself “to obey any instructions that might be 
forwarded to him by a majority of the Democratic party of that 
county, after his election by them, or to resign his seat 
instantly.” 131 In Logan County a financial committee of four was 
appointed to collect funds for defraying campaign expenses. 132 

While the organization was generally solidifying it disap- 


129 Western Hemisphere, June 15, 1836, quoting Cleveland Advertiser; 
Western Hemisphere, Aug. 31, 1836. 

127 Ibid, Aug. 17, 1836, quoting Circleville (Ohio) Press. 

138 Western Hemisphere, Apr. 27, 1836, Coshocton County meeting. 

129 Ibid, May 18, 1836, quoting Zanesville Aurora. 

130 Western Hemisphere, July 13, 1836, quoting Zanesville Aurora. 
This Muskingum County meeting was a very enthusiastic one and most 
of its proceedings were sensible and to the point. One resolution, how¬ 
ever, was: “Resolved, That it is the unanimous and deliberate opinion of 
this meeting that Wm. H. Harrison and Francis Granger, the Federal, 
Whig, Anti-Masonic, and Abolition candidates for president and vice- 
president, ought not to receive, at the election in November next, in any 
one of the whole states of the American Union, one, single electoral 
vote.” 

131 Western Hemisphere, July 13, 1836. 

132 Ibid, Aug. 31, 1836. 



64 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

peared at times in some of the counties. Franklin County in the 
centre of the state and the seat of the capital city had no Demo¬ 
cratic party organization early in July, 1836. 133 This was doubt¬ 
less partly due to the fact that Franklin was a Whig county, 
though at times, as already observed, its Democratic organization 
had been well developed. A call for a county convention was at 
this time circulating in the townships. Should this plan fail, 
wrote the editor of the Monitor, the next advisable course would 
be for the congressional committeeman appointed at the last 
Democratic state convention for each county, to call a convention 
in his county. He called the attention of the congressional com¬ 
mitteemen in the counties of the district to this suggestion and 
urged the holding of county and district conventions. “There 
is no correct way,” he added, “of obtaining a congressional con¬ 
vention but through county conventions.” In response to this 
agitation there appeared in the columns of the Hemisphere a 
call for a county convention on July 30, to nominate delegates 
to a congressional district convention and to form a ticket for the 
October election. 134 This county convention was duly held. 185 
It revived the county organization, nominated a county ticket and 
appointed six delegates to the district convention which occurred 
in August. 136 Thus the organization was speedily restored. 

The most enthusiastic organizing activity of the year was 
that of the young men and one of the most interesting features 
about it was the agency of the press in developing it. The move¬ 
ment for a young men’s state convention was begun by an edi¬ 
torial in the Dayton Herald about the first of May. 137 “Let us 
have a young men’s state convention,” wrote the editor. “Let the 
state central committee designate time and place for such con¬ 
vention to assemble and give general and timely notice of the 
same. * * * The above hints are thrown out for the con¬ 
sideration of our brethren of the Democratic presses in Ohio. 
We hope they will give the subject deliberate consideration and 

133 Western Hemisphere, July 6, quoting Ohio Monitor. 

1S4 Western Hemisphere, July 13, 1836. 

138 Ibid, Aug. 3, 1836. 

138 Ibid, Aug. 31, 1836. 

137 Ibid, May 4, 1836, quoting Dayton Herald . 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 65 

also their views through the medium of their respective papers.” 
The Ohio Eagle warmly seconded this editorial in the Herald 
and suggested to the central committee the fourth of July as 
the time for the convention. 138 The editor of the Hemisphere 
wrote: “We should, in common with our Dayton brother, be 
pleased to hear an expression of opinion on the subject from the 
conductors of Democratic presses in different sections of the 
state.” 139 The subject was taken up with enthusiasm by a num¬ 
ber of the Democratic papers such as the Zanesville Aurora, St 
Clairsville Gazette, Ohio Sun (Batavia), Elyria Republican, 
Steubenville Union, Coshocton Horizon, Washington Genius of 
Liberty , and the Cleveland Advertiser. 140 The editors of the War¬ 
ren News Letter and the New Lisbon Patriot were not opposed 
to the convention but thought efficient county and township 
organizations would be preferable. To this the editor of the 
Hemisphere rejoined that at a state convention where every 
county and section of the state would be represented, much 
might be done to facilitate organization, and that he understood 
this to be the chief object of the convention. 

The state central committee, one of whose members was 
the editor of the Western Hemisphere, issued a circular of in¬ 
quiry to the respective county corresponding committees of the 
state on the subject of the proposed young men’s convention 
and the replies were so assuring that on July 20, the committee 
issued a formal call for the convention to be held at Columbus 
on September 9. 141 The Democratic papers throughout the state 
were requested to copy this notice. Enthusiastic county meet¬ 
ings were held in all parts of the state and delegates were ap¬ 
pointed in generous numbers. In Delaware County all the Demo¬ 
cratic young men under the age of thirty-one were authorized 
and urgently requested to attend. 142 The Franklin County con¬ 
vention appointed five hundred delegates, 143 Ross one hundred 

138 Western Hemisphere, May 4, 1836, quoting Ohio Eagle. 

139 Western Hemisphere, May 4, 1836. 

140 Ibid, June 1, 1836. 

141 Ibid, July 20, 1836. 

Xi2 Ibid, Aug. 17, 1836, quoting National Republican. 

i43 Western Hemisphei'e, Aug. 3, 1836. 


Vol. XXIV —5. 



66 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

thirty, 144 Clinton and Fayette each seventy-three, 145 Muskingum 
fifty, 146 Clermont thirty-one, 147 and Hardin three. 148 Several 
days before the convention assembled more than twelve hun¬ 
dred delegates had been appointed 149 but only about half this 
number attended. 160 

The organization and work of this convention was some¬ 
what similar to that of the regular convention in January. 151 
Governor Lucas and others attended and addressed the conven¬ 
tion by invitation. Besides the address and resolutions adopted 
by the convention, an address was to be prepared for the bene¬ 
fit of the German citizens and another for the Welsh citizens 
of the state. A committee of three from each county was named 
to call a meeting in its county and take such measures as would 
insure a complete organization of the Democratic young men 
of the state. A “Young Men’s Central Committee” of fifteen 
was appointed, seven of whom resided in Franklin County in 
which Columbus was located. The central committee was directed 
to collect the necessary funds to publish the proceedings and ad¬ 
dress and these were to be distributed among the counties in 
proportion to their representation in the general assembly. 

The activity of the press during this campaign in Ohio de¬ 
serves a further word. Early in June the Democratic central 
corresponding committee of Pickaway County had established 
at Circleville a paper entitled the Ohio Press which they con¬ 
ducted with much zeal and ability. 152 Beginning with July 4, 
the publishers of the Western Hemisphere issued a supplemen¬ 
tary campaign extra entitled the Magician, which was continued 
till after the election. 153 

144 Western Hemisphere, Aug. 31, 1836. 

145 Ibid, Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, 1836. 

148 Ibid, July 27, 1836. 

147 It is gratifying to be assured by the Ohio Sun (quoted in Western 
Hemisphere, Sept. 7, 1836) that this Clermont -County meeting was “no 
gormandizing, intemperate, ox-eating humbug.” 

148 Western Hemisphere, Sept. 7, 1836. 

149 Ibid, Sept. 7, 1836. 

160 Globe, Sept. 21, 1836, quoting National Republican. 

151 See Globe, Sept. 23, 1836, for account of this convention. 

163 Western Hemisphere, June 8, 1836. 

163 Ibid, July 20, 1836. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 67 

In the congressional election in Ohio the Whigs carried 
eleven of the nineteen districts 164 and in the presidential election 
Harrison received one hundred and five thousand and Van 
Buren ninety-seven thousand votes. 165 The Democrats of the 
state however rejoiced in the national victory of their party and 
seemed oblivious to the local defeat. A movement was at once 
begun to celebrate the national victory and in addition to im¬ 
mediate demonstrations, the ninth of the following January, 
(the eighth being Sunday) was set apart for a Democratic Jubi¬ 
lee at Columbus and various other places in the state, which 
was duly observed by speeches and feasting. 166 

154 Ohio State Journal, Oct. 22, 18B6. 

1BB Niles' Register, Dec. 3, 1836. 

168 Western Hemisphere, Nov. 30, 1836; Ibid, Jan. 11 and 18, 1837. 



CHAPTER III. 


EXTENSION TO ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN. 

Beginnings in Illinois . 

In Illinois political parties were much slower in developing 
their organization than in Ohio and Indiana. Several causes 
contributed to this. It was a more sparsely settled frontier 
state with a less advanced population. The townships which 
were so important a factor in party organization in Ohio and 
Indiana, because through their meetings and delegates they 
formed the basis for the whole convention system, were en¬ 
tirely lacking in Illinois until after the Jacksonian period. In¬ 
stead of the township there was only the precinct, a mere voting 
district without? local government or organization as in the town¬ 
ship, in which the only uniting influence was an annual election. 1 
The great difficulty was in the primary meetings in the precincts 
which were very poorly attended and were a prey to profes¬ 
sional politicians. Moreover, party organization was not ex¬ 
tended to the precincts until 1835 and then only in a few cases 
in the northern part of the state. In December, 1835, the Illi¬ 
nois senate expressed opposition to the convention system by 
resolving that “every person eligible to the office of president 
has a right to come forward as a candidate for it without the 
intervention of caucuses and conventions” and that they “dis¬ 
approve of the convention system attempted to be forced upon 
the American people by the Van Buren party and believe it to 
be destructive of the freedom of the elective franchise, opposed 
to republican institutions, and dangerous to the liberties of the 
people.” 2 In writing of the convention system in Illinois Gov¬ 
ernor Ford said: 3 “The western Democrats looked upon it with 

1 Thomas Ford, History of Illinois (Chicago, 1854), p. 206. 

* Niles Register, XLIX, p. 384; Illinois Advocate (Vandalia), Dec. 
23, 1835. This resolution was passed by a vote of 13 to 12. 

8 Ford, History of Illinois, p. 203. 

( 68 ) 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 69 

a good deal of suspicion. It was considered a Yankee contri¬ 
vance, intended to abridge the liberties of the people by depriv¬ 
ing individuals on their own mere motion, of the privilege of 
becoming candidates, and depriving each man of the right to vote 
for a candidate of his own selection and choice.” Under such 
circumstances it is easy to understand why the development of 
political party organization was later in Illinois than in the older 
states. However by 1840 the convention system was fairly well 
established in Illinois. The party was organized upon the prin¬ 
ciples of national politics only and not upon those of the state. * 4 
In this respect Illinois was in marked contrast with Indiana in 
which national party lines had little to do with state elections. 

This backwardness of Illinois in party organization is par¬ 
ticularly noteworthy in view of the fact that from 1824 to 1840 
this state was conspicuously under he control of the Democratic 
party which was the party par excellence of organization. From 
1824 to 1840 the congressmen from Illinois were uniformly 
Democratic, except in the last two years in the northern district, 
and the state always supported a Democratic president. The 
governor and legislature were also invariably Democratic. 

In the election of 1824 a plurality of the popular votes of 
the state had been claimed for Jackson and he had received 
two of its electoral votes, the third being cast for Adams, for in 
Illinois the district plan was then pursued in choosing electors 
instead of the general ticket plan. 5 When the election went to 
the house of representatives the one representative of Illinois 
cast his vote for Adams claiming that he had received the plu¬ 
rality of the popular votes of the state, but this congressman was 
superseded by a Jackson man in 1826. 

In February, 1827, the house of representatives of Illinois 
resolved by a vote of nineteen to eleven, that although they did 
not “consider it the province of the legislature to dictate to the 
people in regard to the presidential election,” yet they believed 
“General Andrew Jackson eminently qualified and justly entitled 
to the office from the important services” he had rendered his 

4 Ford, History of Illinois, p. 207. 

4 By an Act of the Illinois legislature, Jan. 11, 1827, the general 

ticket plan was introduced for use in presidential elections. 



70 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

country. 6 This resolution was approved by a large meeting of 
Republican citizens in Belleville, St. Clair County in March, 
which recommended the citizens of the state friendly to ther elec¬ 
tion of Jackson to assemble in the different counties and adopt 
resolutions and measures to promote his election. 7 In 1828 the 
state was composed of three electoral districts and in the spring 
the friends of Jackson in Fayette County held a meeting^ at Van- 
dalia, then the state capital, and recommended the citizens of the 
counties of the northern district to hold meetings and appoint 
delegates to a convention at Springfield. 8 The accounts of some 
of these county meetings are preserved in the newspapers of 
that time. Two were held on March 3, 1828, one in Montgom¬ 
ery County, the other in Greene County, both of which approved 
the recommendations of the Vandalia meeting and appointed 
delegates to the northern electoral district convention to be held 
at Springfield in May. 9 

In harmony with the action taken by members of the legis¬ 
latures of Ohio, Indiana, and several other states, both houses 
of the legislature of Illinois in January, 1831, passed by almost 
unanimous votes resolutions favoring the election of Jackson 
for a second term. 10 A meeting of the citizens of Fayette County 
and others from various counties of Illinois attending the su¬ 
preme court of Vandalia in December, 1831, recommended the 
support of Jackson for the next presidency in conjunction with 
such person for vice-president as the Baltimore convention might 
select. 11 This meeting further recommended the citizens who 
were friendly to the reelection of Jackson to assemble in their 
several counties in the three congressional districts of the state 12 

6 Journal of the House of Representatives of Illinois, Feb. 19, 1827. 

7 U. S. Telegraph, April 7, 1827. 

8 The knowledge of this Vandalia meeting comes from the accounts 
of the county meetings next referred to in the text. 

9 National Republican, Mar. 28, 1828; U. S. Telegraph, Apr. 12, 1828. 
No record of this district convention seems to be preserved. 

“Journals of the House of Representatives, and of the Senate of 
Illinois, Jan. 3, 1831. 

n Globe, Jan. 5, 1832, quoting Illinois Intelligencer. 

“The state had been divided into three congressional districts by 
an Act of the legislature, Feb. 15, 1831, in anticipation of the congres¬ 
sional apportionment Act of 1832. Previously Illinois had had but one 
representative in congress. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 71 

as soon as practicable and to choose three delegates to attend 
conventions in their respective districts at Kaskaskia, Vandalia, 
and Springfield during the spring terms of the circuit courts 
in the counties of Randolph, Fayette, and Sangamon, to agree 
upon the selection of suitable persons to be supported as electors 
of president and vice-president. A committee of twenty-four 
was appointed to prepare and publish an address to the citizens 
of Illinois on the objects of the meeting and the next presi¬ 
dential election. Three delegates were appointed to represent 
Fayette County at the congressional district convention at Van¬ 
dalia; and although this meeting was in no sense a regular state 
convention composed of delegates duly appointed, it chose four 
delegates to represent Illinois at the Baltimore convention. Pur¬ 
suant to the recommendation of this Vandalia meeting, county 
meetings were held in each of the three congressional districts 
which appointed delegates to the district conventions. 13 A 
meeting in Adams County besides appointing delegates to the 
district convention at Springfield, appointed a committee of cor¬ 
respondence for the county. The four delegates appointed by the 
Vandalia meeting to the Baltimore convention were approved 
and it took the liberty of appointing an additional delegate in 
behalf of the citizens of the fifth judicial circuit. No records 
seem to be preserved of any of the district conventions but the 
electoral ticket which later appeared for Jackson and Van Buren 
would indicate that they were held. 

At this time the Democrats of Illinois were divided into two 
factions on the subject of the vice-presidency, some favoring Van 
Buren, others R. M. Johnson. The movement for Johnson be¬ 
gan in a meeting at Vandalia early in January, 1832, the object 
of which was to nominate a candidate for vice-president. 14 Col. 
A. P. Field introduced resolutions in support of Johnson and 
some friction was aroused, but after the retirement of its op¬ 
ponents this nomination was carried. This was followed by a 
call for a Jackson and Johnson state convention. 15 Those 

13 Illinois Advocate (Edwardsville), Mar. 9 and 23, 1832. 

14 U. S. Telegraph, Feb. 21, 1832, quoting Illinois Journal (Spring- 
field). 

18 Western Sun, Feb. 25, 1832; Sangamo Journal (Springfield, Ill.), 
March 8, 1832. 



72 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

friendly to these candidates were requested to appoint delegates 
to meet on March 26 at the state house in Vandalia for the pur¬ 
pose of nominating electors. Preparatory to this state convention 
a Fayette county meeting was held at Vandalia in February and 
appointed twelve delegates. 16 No record appears of any other 
preparatory meetings but on March 26 the convention was held. 17 
Five persons were nominated, one from each of the five judicial 
circuits of the state, to be supported as candidates for electors 
for Jackson and Johnson, provided the latter should be supported 
by the Jackson party in any of the states. But if there should be 
no hope of electing Johnson, these electors were to be at liberty 
to vote for another candidate. An address to the people of the 
United States was prepared; committees of correspondence were 
appointed for each of the five judicial districts and a central 
committee of twelve for the state. Two thousand copies of the 
address adopted in favor of Johnson were to be printed and 
distributed among the counties of the state. No delegates were 
appointed to the Baltimore convention and it was disregarded. 

Of the four delegates appointed to the Baltimore convention 
by the Vandalia meeting in December, two attended, and these 
divided the vote of Illinois in the nomination of vice-president 
between Van Buren and Johnson. 18 In the November election 
the five Van Buren electors were chosen and thus he received 
all the electoral votes of Illinois for vice-president. In the presi¬ 
dential elections of both 1828 and 1832 in Illinois Jackson re¬ 
ceived more than double the number of votes received by the 
opposing candidate. 19 

The strife between the Van Buren and Johnson factions 
in Illinois did not cease with the election of 1832 but was re- 

ls Sangamo Journal, March 1, 1832. 

17 Ibid, Apr. 5, 1832; U. S. Telegraph, Apr. 14, 1832, quoting Van¬ 
dalia (Illinois) Whig. 

U U. S. Telegraph, May 25, 1832. 

19 Official returns, office of Illinois Secretary of State. 

1828 1832 
Jackson 9560 Jackson 14617 

Adams 4662 Clay 6744 

In 1828 Jackson received majorities in 37 of the 42 counties. In 
1832 he received majorities in 46 of the 53 counties. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 73 

newed in 1833 and 1834 in connection with the campaign for 
governor to be elected in 1834, 20 and a Johnson meeting in Van- 
dalia in February of that year nominated him for president and 
appointed six delegates to attend a Democratic Johnson state 
convention. 21 No time was then fixed for this convention and 
it was probably not held. 

John Reynolds who had been governor since 1830 was elec¬ 
ted to congress in 1834 and in speaking of the campaign he said: 22 
“At that day the convention system was not established and as 
many persons offered their services as pleased. * * * There 

were in the field three candidates for congress [in the first dis¬ 
trict], all Democrats and Jackson men. All the candidates 
offered without a convention. * * * At the same election 

Kinney and Duncan were candidates for governor, also without 
a convention.” The only organized method for promoting the 
cause of a candidate for public office was the county meeting and 
a number of these were held for the purpose of nominating fa¬ 
vorite candidates. 23 

Development in Illinois, 1835-36. 

The year 1835 practically marked the beginning of party 
organization on a large scale in Illinois. In that year the Demo¬ 
crats began in earnest to prepare for the coming presidential 
campaign along lines which were followed in other states. Two 
Democratic state conventions were held at Vandalia, the state 
capital, that year; one in April to appoint delegates to the Balti¬ 
more convention in May and one in December to choose presi¬ 
dential electors. The movement for the April convention was 
begun in that same month and because of this short time it was 
not largely attended. In Fayette County itself, the seat of the 
capital, after repeated calls for it, a meeting was held at Van¬ 
dalia April 18, to express opinions upon the national convention. 24 

20 Globe, Feb. 22, 1833. Illinois elected a governor every four years. 

21 Illinois Advocate and State Register (Vandalia), Feb. 22, 1834; 
Sangamo Journal, March 1, 1834. 

23 John Reynolds, History of Illinois (Chicago, 1879), p. 283. 

23 Illinois Advocate, Dec. 7, 1833; Jan. 11 and Feb. 22, 1834; Chicago 
Democrat, Jan. 21, 1834. 

24 Illinois Advocate, Apr. 1, 15, and 22, 1835. 



74 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

It was resolved that, as the shortness of the time rendered it im¬ 
practicable to hold a state convention for appointing delegates 
to the national convention, county meetings should be held 
throughout the state approving the national convention and 
agreeing to support its nominations. Precisely the same attitude 
had been taken by a meeting in St. Clair County. 25 But the 
Morgan County meeting, under the leadership of S. S. Brooks, 
editor of the Jacksonville News, and Stephen A. Douglas, 20 
resolved, “that * * * Illinois should be fully represented in 

the proposed convention at Baltimore; and that for the purpose 
of appointing delegates thereto, a state convention be held at 
Vandalia, April 27, to be composed of delegates from all the 
counties in the state equal in number to the representation in the 
legislature/’ 27 Six delegates were then chosen to represent Mor¬ 
gan County in such a state convention with instructions to select 
delegates who would favor Van Buren and Johnson. On the 
same day the Democrats of Greene County held a meeting which 
was soon followed by meetings in Sangamon and Edgar Counties, 
all of which appointed delegates to the state convention. 28 

One of the most active Democratic meetings of the year 
was held at Chicago about a week after the Morgan County meet¬ 
ing. 29 Among its resolutions were the following: 

“Whereas, There has not heretofore been such an organiza¬ 
tion of the party in this town, county, or state as would give to 
individual members a voice in the selection of candidates to be 
supported for office, * * * therefore: 

“ Resolved, That an immediate and thorough organization 
throughout the state in accordance with the principles and usages 
of the Democratic party, is not only expedient but absolutely 
necessary to its present united and efficient action. * * * 

25 Illinois Advocate, Apr. 1, 1835. 

28 For the part taken 'by Douglas in promoting Democratic party 
organization in Illinois, see James W. Sheahan, The Life of Stephen A. 
Douglas (New York, 1860); Allen Johnson, Stephen A. Douglas: A 
Study in American Politics (New York, 1908). 

21 Illinois Advocate, June 3, 1835. 

28 Ibid, Apr. 22, 29, and June 3, 1835. 

20 Ibid, June 3, 1835. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest . 75 

And while we pledge ourselves to use all necessary and proper 
means to effect such an organization in this town, we earnestly 
recommend a similar course to our political brethren in the 
different precincts, villages and settlements in this county and 
in the different counties throughout the state.” A committee of 
correspondence was appointed for Chicago and the Democrats 
“throughout the state and especially in the different precincts and 
settlements” of that county were earnestly solicited to appoint 
similar committees. It was resolved to cooperate with the 
Democrats of the county in holding a county convention to nom¬ 
inate candidates for offices to be filled at the August election, and 
to support for all public offices only those candidates who should 
be duly nominated by a convention of delegates fairly called 
together. Two citizens of Vandalia were requested to represent 
the Democrats of Chicago in the state convention, “should such 
convention, in accordance with the recommendations of our 
political friends of Morgan and other counties, be held.” Three 
hundred copies of the proceedings were to be printed, some of 
which were to be distributed among the Democratic editors 
throughout the state for publication. This unique plan of ap¬ 
pointing delegates to the state convention who lived at the seat of 
the proposed convention was doubtless because of the great dis¬ 
tance of Vandalia from Chicago and the shortness of the time. 

The state convention assembled at Vandalia on the twenty- 
seventh and held sessions on the twenty-seventh and twenty- 
eighth. 30 Because of the short notice and of the “idea having 
gone abroad that there would not be sufficient time to hold a con¬ 
vention before the meeting of the convention at Baltimore,” the 
attendance was small, only a few counties being represented at all 
and these only partially so. An active part was taken by the 
delegates from Morgan and Sangamon Counties and two from 
each of these counties were among the officers chosen by the 
convention. 31 Five delegates were appointed to atttend the 
Baltimore convention and were instructed to support the nom¬ 
ination of Van Buren and Johnson. The Democrats throughout 

30 Illinois Advocate, Apr. 29, 1835. 

31 Sang am o Journal, May 16, 1835. 



76 Ohio Arch , and Hist. Society Publications. 

the state were requested to hold county meetings where they had 
not already been held and concur in the proceedings of this con¬ 
vention. The proceedings and address were directed to be 
printed in a hand bill for distribution. 

In accordance with the request of the state convention, its 
proceedings were approved by a meeting in Clinton County, 32 but 
during April and May several meetings were held in counties 
remote from Vandalia which had no knowledge of this conven¬ 
tion. For instance, a meeting at Shelbyville two days prior to 
the state convention, solicited and recommended fourteen named 
delegates from various counties of the state to attend the Balti¬ 
more convention. 33 Democratic meetings in Vermillion, Jo 
Davies and La Salle Counties made no mention of the Vandalia 
convention. 34 The meeting in La Salle County adopted resolu¬ 
tions on organization evidently modeled upon those of the Chicago 
meeting in April. Committees were appointed for the county 
and precinct and the convention system was strongly supported. 

During June and July, 1835, the plans for organization sug¬ 
gested by the April meeting in Chicago were carried out by the 
Democratic party in that vicinity and apparently for the first 
time in Illinois there was a county convention composed of dele¬ 
gates duly appointed by the precincts. 35 This convention was 
held in Cook County, July 4, in response to a call by the Chicago 
committee requesting the precincts to send delegates. 36 At the 
same time the committee requested the Democrats in the other 
counties of the district to send delegates to a senatorial conven¬ 
tion at Ottawa, July 8. The Cook County convention nominated 
candidates for county officers, made county organization and 
appointed delegates to the senatorial convention. 37 This latter 
convention nominated a senator and appointed a senatorial dis¬ 
trict corresponding committee of two in each county. 38 In the 

82 Illinois Advocate, May 27, 1835, quoting St. Clair Gazette. 

33 Illinois Advocate, May 6, 1835. 

84 Ibid, June 3 and 10, 1835. 

85 Chicago Democrat, July 8, 1835, editorial. 

99 Ibid, June 24 and July 1, 1835. 

87 Ibid, July 8, 1835. 

69 Ibid, July 15, 1835. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 77 

latter part of July a Democratic primary meeting was held in the 
Chicago precinct which nominated officers for the precinct, and 
appointed a committee of nine to bring out the entire Democratic 
vote at the next election. 39 Thus the convention system of nomina¬ 
tions was extended to precinct, county, and district. 

The next general organizing activity of the party in Illinois 
was the movement for a state convention to be held in December, 
1835, for choosing presidential electors. In this movement Mr. 
Douglas and Morgan county again took the initiative. At a 
Morgan county meeting at Jacksonville in June in which Douglas 
was active, a decided stand was taken in support of conventions 
and the meeting recommended the friends of Van Buren and 
Johnson to hold meetings in their respective counties throughout 
the state and send delegates to a state convention to be held ai 
Vandalia in December, to form a Democratic electoral ticket for 
the state. 40 Each county was requested to send a number of 
delegates equal to its number of representatives in both branches 
of the legislature and every county was to send at least one 
delegate. Delegates were appointed from Morgan and a county 
organization of the party was effected. 

From July to November a large number of county meetings 
were held, all of which appointed delegates to the state conven¬ 
tion and a number of them effected county organizations. 41 None 
of these meetings seems to have been composed of delegates 
regularly appointed by the precincts but the Peoria county meet¬ 
ing appointed a committee of correspondence consisting of three 
in each precinct of the county 42 and the meeting in Cook county 
recommended the precincts to appoint committees and to present 
their names to the county committees. 43 The delegates from 
Wabash county were provided with certified copies of the pro- 

39 Chicago Democrat, July 29, 1835. A series of editorials appeared 
in this paper in the summer of 1835 in support of the convention system 
of nominations. 

40 Ibid, July 15, 1835. 

41 Illinois Advocate, July to Nov., 1835. 

-Ibid, Dec. 2, 1835. 

43 Chicago Democrat, Oct. 14, 1835. 



78 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

ceedings of the meeting, which served as their credentials to the 
state convention. 44 

The convention held its sessions at Vandalia, December 7 
and 8. 4B At this time there were about sixty counties in the 
state and twenty-three of these were represented in the conven¬ 
tion by seventy delegates. The rules for the government of the 
house of representatives of Illinois were adopted for the govern¬ 
ment of the convention. A committee appointed by the president, 
consisting of one from each county represented, selected the five 
candidates for presidential electors who should vote for Van 
Buren and Johnson. An address was prepared to the people 
of the state. The most interesting feature of the convention was 
an exciting debate during the session of the second evening on 
the introduction of the convention system into Illinois. 46 A Mr. 
Peck, of Chicago, offered resolutions the object of which was to 
introduce in Illinois the convention system of nominating all 
candidates for state and county officers and to prevent the 
election of all persons who would not submit to the decision of 
these conventions. He opened the discussion by observing that 
some of his party had prejudices against the plan. The conven¬ 
tion system, he said, was all that could save the party; it brought 
men under proper control; it tested their fidelity to party. The 
system had worked well in New York. If southern Illinois was 
not ready for it, the third congressional district might adopt it. 

The chairman, Mr. Maxwell, thought it too soon to force 
the convention system upon the people. They were not prepared 
for it. He believed the whole system to be anti-Republican, and 
although Wyatt and Douglas said it worked well in Morgan 
county, he was “afraid it would not go down with the old- 
fashioned Democrats.” He stated that inasmuch as the pro¬ 
ceedings of the meeting were taking a turn which he did not 
approve and one which he was convinced the people would much 
less approve, he would therefore be constrained to leave the chair. 
This he did and a momentary confusion ensued which was soon 
settled by the mounting of a second chairman, William Weather- 

44 Western Sun, Dec. 15, 1835. 

45 Proceedings given in Illinois Advocate, Dec. 17, 1835. 

48 Account given in Sangamo Journal, Feb. 6, 13, and 20, 1836. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 79 

ford, upon the rostrum. Mr. Douglas of Morgan County said 
he had lived in New York, was well acquainted with the con¬ 
vention system, and knew that it was the only way to manage 
elections with success. “Gentlemen,” he said, “were mistaken 
when they supposed that the people of the West had too long 
enjoyed their own opinions to submit quietly to the regulation 
of a convention.” He knew better. He claimed the honor of 
having introduced it into the county of Morgan; and there it 
had “already prostrated one distinguished individual holding high 
office.” He said the convention system had already been in¬ 
troduced with great success by Mr. Van Buren’s friends into 
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Indiana. 
Mr. Caton, formerly of New York, then of Chicago, spoke 
warmly for conventions and said that the ex-chairman, Mr. 
Maxwell, also favored state and national conventions, but op¬ 
posed county and district conventions because he said the people 
were “not prepared to give up their old ways.” The immediate 
result of the debate was that the resolutions in favor of the con¬ 
vention system which had precipitated it were not adopted. 

The convention question was also discussed in the state 
legislature in the session of 1835-36. The senate passed resolu¬ 
tions recommending Hugh L. White for the presidency and at 
the same time adopted the resolutions already given opposing 
the convention system. 47 In the house of representatives some 
days later, resolutions were adopted recommending the support 
of Van Buren and Johnson, favoring the convention system, and 
disapproving the “efforts of the opposition party to divide the 
Jackson Democratic party and thus bring the election into the 
house of representatives.” 48 

During the year 1836 there were a number of county and 
district conventions in the northern part of the state. In the 
spring, through the leadership of Douglas and Brooks, the Dem¬ 
ocrats of Morgan County were induced to hold a convention at 
Jacksonville in April for the purpose of forming a county ticket. 40 

47 See p. 68; Illinois Advocate, Dec. 23, 1835. 

48 Ibid, Jan. 6, and Feb. 10, 1836. 

49 For account of this activity in Morgan County, see Sheahan, Life 
of Douglas, p. 25, et seq. 



80 Ohio ArcH. and Hist. Society Publications. 

Every precinct was represented by delegates and a ticket was 
nominated. This was the first regular convention composed of 
delegates duly appointed by the precincts, ever held in that 
county, though there had been one in Cook County the previous 
year. 50 Such unity and concentration were necessary if the 
Democrats would win, particularly in Morgan County, which 
was Whig. Previous to this time a half dozen or more candi¬ 
dates in each of the parties had often run for the same office. 
Douglas made a thorough canvass of the county and fought the 
first fight there in behalf of regular nominations and all but 
one of the Democratic candidates were elected. 

At Flag Creek near Chicago a senatorial district convention 
was held in July composed of delegates duly appointed from 
the several precincts of Will and Cook Counties which nominated 
one candidate for the state senate, three for representatives, and 
recommended Wm. L. May as representative to congress from 
the third district. 51 The delegates from Will County then with¬ 
drew and those of Cook nominated a county ticket and resolved 
“that the county corresponding committee be empowered to 
specify the number of delegates to be hereafter admitted to 
represent each precinct in future conventions.” A Peoria County 
meeting in March nominated a candidate for the house of repre¬ 
sentatives, chose delegates to meet with delegates from Putnam 
County to nominate a candidate for the senate, chose delegates 
to attend a congressional district convention at Peoria in May, 
and adjourned to a later date to nominate county officers. 52 

This year there occurred the first congressional district con¬ 
vention in Illinois to nominate a candidate for congress. 63 It 
met in May at Peoria in the third or northern district of the 
state and there are accounts of several county meetings which 
appointed delegates to it. 54 It was poorly attended but nominated 
Wm. L. May for congress and he was elected. This district 

60 See p. 76. 

61 Chicago Democrat, July 20, 1836. 

63 Ibid, March 30, 1836. 

68 Ibid, May 11, 1836; Illinois State Register and Illinois Advocate 
(Vandalia), May 20, 1836. 

64 Chicago Democrat, Jan. 27 and Feb. 24, 1836. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. SI 

was settled by emigrants from New York and New England, 
like Douglas, who adopted the convention system more readily 
than did the inhabitants of southern Illinois. 55 Even in the 
northern district it was hard enough to secure its adoption and 
much credit for doing so belonged to Douglas. Neither of the 
other two congressional districts held conventions and although 
there were two Democratic candidates for congress in each, 
Democrats were elected in both districts. 56 

Summing up the situation, by the end of 1836 there had been 
but one congressional district convention in Illinois to nominate 
a candidate for congress; there had not yet been a convention 
for the nomination of a governor; the state conventions which 
had been held, had made no state organization of the party; and 
the organization had been extended to the precincts only in a 
few counties in the northern part of the state. On the other 
hand, county meetings were becoming quite familiar; the dele¬ 
gate system was gaining recognition; conventions in representa¬ 
tive, senatorial, and congressional districts as well as state con¬ 
ventions had been introduced; and the ground had been broken 
for the rapid advancement in party organization which occurred 
in the next few years. 

Organization in Michigan by 1836. 

The early history of Democratic party organization in 
Michigan is in marked contrast to that in Illinois. For several 
years before Michigan territory was admitted as a state its party 
organization was well developed. In 1832 and 1833, not to go 
farther back, there were township meetings and committees, and 
county, district, and territorial party organization and conven¬ 
tions, to which delegates with credentials were duly appointed. 57 

85 Reynolds, History of Illinois, pp. 304 and 305. 

68 Illinois State Register, Sept. 2, 15, and Oct. 7, 1836. The vote of 
the state in the congressional election was practically 28,000 Democratic 
and 16,000 Whig. In the presidential election it was 18.000 for Van 
Buren and 15,000 for Harrison. ( Illinois State Register, Dec. 2, 1836.) 

67 For account of this see St. loseph Beacon, Feb. 16, June 1 and 15, 

1833. 


Vol. XXIV —6. 



82 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

The history of Michigan from 1835 to ^37 was unique. 68 It 
had a state government long before its admission as a state by 
congress and this admission was brought about by the Demo¬ 
cratic party in Michigan. In January, 1835, just two years be¬ 
fore the state was admitted, the legislative council provided for 
the election of delegates to form a state constitution. This con¬ 
stitution was adopted by the people at an election in October, 
1835. In June, 1836, congress passed an act admitting Michigan 
as a state, provided she would accept boundaries which gave 
disputed territory to Ohio. The legislature of the territory in 
July provided for the election of delegates to a convention to 
consider the subject. This convention met at Ann Arbor Sep¬ 
tember 26 and voted against admission on the terms proposed 
by congress. The Whigs opposed admission because the state, 
being Democratic, would aid in electing Van Buren to the 
presidency but the Democrats did not awaken to the situation 
till after the convention had voted against admission. This 
action of the convention caused much dissatisfaction among the 
Democrats and on November 14, the Democratic committee of 
Wayne County issued a circular recommending the holding of 
meetings in all the counties to choose delegates to another con¬ 
vention at Ann Arbor on December 14. It was urged that 
speedy action was necessary in order to secure to the new 
state a share of the surplus revenue that congress was about to 
distribute and also the revenue from public land sales in Michi¬ 
gan. The Whigs held aloof but the convention was held as 
proposed by the Democrats and resolved to accept the prescribed 
conditions of admission and congress by a new act formally 
admitted the state in Januuary, 1837. Thus a convention called 
by the Democratic party brought about the admission of Mich¬ 
igan and the anomalous government, neither territorial nor state, 
gave place to that of the state. 

Meanwhile party organization had been well developed. 
Niles in the southwestern part of the state, and Detroit were 
early active Democratic centers and the party activities in these 
vicinities give an idea of the political advancement of the state. 

68 T. M. Cooley, Michigan (American Commonwealths), (Boston, 
1886) ; Silas Farmer, History of Detroit and Michigan (Detroit, 1889). 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest . 83 

A meeting of Democratic Republicans at Niles in August, 1835, 
approved of the organization of the Democratic party of the 
territory, resolved to support the Democratic nominations made 
throughout the territory with a view to state organization and 
appointed delegates to a Berrien County convention. 59 At this 
convention, consisting of delegates from the several townships, 
a committee of one from each of the townships was appointed 
to examine the credentials of the members. 60 It was resolved: 
“That we pledge ourselves to the Democratic party of Michigan 
and to each other, that we will support the regularly nominated 
candidate of this party as the only efficient means of preserving 
and perfecting the powers and influence of the party; that this 
convention is convinced that the principles of Democracy require 
a strict adherence to conventional nominations.” Two delegates 
were chosen by ballot to represent the county in the convention 
to be held at Ann Arbor in August to nominate state officers and 
a representative to congress; two delegates were appointed to 
attend a senatorial convention to be held at Schoolcraft in Sep¬ 
tember, and a candidate was nominated to represent Berrien 
County in the state legislature. The convention appointed a 
central corresponding committee for the county and a committee 
of three in each of the townships. The senatorial convention 
at Schoolcraft was attended by eighteen delegates from seven 
counties. 61 It nominated three candidates to represent the 
western senatorial district in the state legislature and urged upon 
the district the importance of supporting the nominations made 
by this and the different county conventions. 

The attitude of the party toward the convention system 
of nominations was again shown by a resolution of the Oak¬ 
land County convention, that “all differences of opinion as to 
candidates for office should terminate whenever a regular 
nomination is announced by those authorized by the party to 
make it.” 62 

69 Niles (Michigan) Gazette and Advertiser, Vol. I, No. 1, Sept. 5, 

1835. 

60 Ibid, Sept. 5, 1835. 

“Ibid, Sept. 5, 1835. 

63 Detroit Daily Free Press, Oct. 1, 1835. 



84 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

The Democratic state convention held at Ann Arbor, August 
20, was quite representative and well attended. Sixteen of the 
nineteen counties then organized were represented by eighty- 
nine delegates chosen by county conventions “pursuant to the 
recommendation of the general committee.” 63 Stephens T. 
Mason was nominated for governor and Isaac E. Crary for 
representative to congress. 64 It was resolved “that the territorial 
corresponding committee act in the state of Michigan until the 
next state convention” and that this committee have power to 
add to their number one member from each of the new counties 
organized. The Democratic young men were alert and were 
organizing in Michigan as elsewhere and the object and pro¬ 
ceedings of their late general convention held at Tecumseh were 
approved by the state convention. 

The Democrats were particularly active in and about Detroit 
at the time of the fall election in 1835, when the state constitu¬ 
tion was submitted for ratification and state officers and a 
representative to congress were elected. Democratic meetings 
were often held and early in October a resolution was passed 
by one of them which expressed indignation at “the attempt of 
the Detroit Whigs to sow dissension among them” and stated 
that they would “give their [Whig] mixed ticket the same fate 
as though it partook alone of the Whig leaven.” 65 Four Demo¬ 
crats were commended for declining the Whig nomination. At 
a later meeting the loss of a few who had joined the Whigs was 
referred to as a great gain to the Democratic party and it was 
resolved that every effort to alter the Democratic ticket should 
be watched and discouraged and that every exertion be made to 
prevent dividing or weakening the ticket. 66 A vigilance com¬ 
mittee of forty-one was appointed which was directed to arrange 
and divide itself into subcommittees so that part of them should 
always be present at the polls on election days. The editor of 
the Press gave warning to Democratic voters to examine their 

™ Niles Gazette, Sept. 12, 1835. 

64 Since Michigan was entitled to but one representative in congress 
prior to 1840, her congressmen were nominated by the state conventions. 

68 Detroit Free Press, Oct. 3, 1835. 

w Ibid, Oct. 5, 1835. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 85 

tickets particularly before voting. 67 Tickets with the Demo¬ 
cratic candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and member 
of congress at the head and the names of the Whig candidates 
for senate and house of representatives below, were in circula¬ 
tion. 

The year 1836 was a stirring one in Michigan politics. 
There were two conventions on the admission of the state, the 
latter of which was a Democratic party convention and another 
for the selection of Democratic presidential electors. Although 
a Democratic state committee already existed, the movement 
for a convention for nominating presidential electors began in 
the legislature. At a meeting of the Democratic members of 
the legislature, held pursuant to public notice at the Capitol in 
Detroit, July 25, it was recommended that the Democratic central 
corresponding committee of the state, call a convention to meet 
at Ann Arbor, September 28, for the purpose of nominating 
presidential electors. 68 In pursuance of this recommendation 
the state committee met in Detroit, August 10, and recommended 
to the county corresponding committees throughout the state that 
meetings be held in all the townships to appoint delegates to meet 
in county convention, August 27, and that these conventions 
“elect the same number of delegates to the state convention as 
each county is entitled to members in the state house of repre¬ 
sentatives. 69 The state committee also recommended that dele¬ 
gates be sent to a convention to give assent to the conditions 
imposed by congress for the admission of the state. Five hun¬ 
dred copies of the proceedings of the state committee were to be 
distributed among the counties of the state. 

Thus two state conventions were called at Ann Arbor, one on 
September 26 to vote on admission, the other on September 28 
to choose presidential electors. There are accounts of a number 
of township and county meetings to send delegates to them and 
both conventions were duly held. 70 The convention which voted 

67 Detroit Free Press, Oct. 6, 1835. 

68 Ibid, July 21 and 30, 1836; Niles Gazette, Aug. 10, 1836. 

99 Detroit Free Press, Aug. 11, 1836. 

70 Ibid, Aug. 31, and Sept. 17, 1836; Niles Gazette, Aug. 31, and 
Sept. 7, 1836. 



86 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

on admission on the terms imposed by congress opposed it by a 
vote of 28 to 21. 71 This action aroused opposition particularly 
among the Democrats and at a Democratic meeting in Detroit, 
October 17, a protest against it was drafted. 72 A Wayne County 
Democratic convention, October 29, resolved in favor of the 
governor’s calling a second state convention to assent to the 
conditions of admission proposed by congress and appointed 
a committee of three to correspond with other counties to promote 
the same. 73 This was followed by a similar meeting in Washte¬ 
naw County. 74 The governor for lack of authority declined to 
call another convention but intimated that a convention originat¬ 
ing with the people “in their primary capacity” might be suffi¬ 
cient. A circular issued by the Democratic committee of Wayne 
County, November 14, recommended the second convention and 
the movement resulted in a convention, December 14, in which 
practically none but Van Buren Democrats participated and 
which voted assent to the conditions of admission imposed by 
congress. 

In writing of this second convention Judge T. M. Cooley has 
rightly said: 75 “A movement for another convention was there¬ 
fore soon on foot which assumed to represent the whole people, 
though in fact originating in the caucuses of the Jackson party 
and representing that party almost exclusively.” The delegates 
convened and “with no more authority than any party caucus, as¬ 
sumed the sovereign power of accepting the proposition of con¬ 
gress. No pretense could be more baseless than this assump¬ 
tion of authority by the convention. People ridiculed its meeting 
and christened it the ‘frost-bitten convention.’ ” Congress ac¬ 
cepted the action of the convention as that of the state and on 
January 26, 1837, passed the final act for admission. While this 
movement for admission was for the most part a movement of 
the Democratic party it caused a division in its ranks and the 

71 Detroit Daily Advertiser, Oct. 1 and 4, 1836; Michigan Pioneer and 
Historical Collections, XI, pp. 157-159. 

72 Detroit Free Press, Oct. 19, 1836. 

13 Ibid, Nov. 1, 1836. 

74 Ibid, Nov. 15, 1836. 

78 Cooley, Michigan, pp. 223 and 224. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 87 

formation of a State Rights wing opposed to admission on the 
terms imposed, though all the Democrats supported Van Buren. 7 ® 

The organization of the Democratic young men of Michi¬ 
gan in 1836 is illustrated by a circular issued by their state 
central committee in July. This was addressed to each member 
of the corresponding committee, one of whom was located in each 
county of the state, and read as follows: 77 “At the state con¬ 
vention of the Democratic young men of Michigan held at 
Tecumseh, August 12, 1835, you were appointed a corresponding 
member of the central committee. You are therefore requested 
to call a county convention of the Democratic young men in 
your county and appoint one delegate for each one thousand in¬ 
habitants to attend a state convention at such time as may be 
thought most expedient. The committee would suggest that 
you recommend to the several towns in your county to appoint 
corresponding committees; also that a county corresponding 
committee be appointed at the county convention. You will 
please confer with some person on this subject in the unorganized 
counties if any are attached to yours, that they may be repre¬ 
sented in the next convention. Your views are requested with 
regard to the time and place of holding the next state con¬ 
vention.” 

In the presidential election of 1836, in which Michigan par¬ 
ticipated although not yet admitted as a state, her vote was 
strongly Democratic. Of the twenty-one counties which gave 
returns, all but three supported Van Buren, whose majority in 
the state was over three thousand and the ratio of the votes was 
almost two to one. 78 


76 Detroit Daily Advertiser, Oct. 4, 1836; Detroit Free Press, Oct. 
20, 1836. 

77 Detroit Free Press, Aug. 25, 1836. 

16 Ibid, Nov. 26, 1836. 



CHAPTER IV. 

DEVELOPMENT FROM 1837 TO 1839. 

Ohio. 

In this chapter it is the purpose to carry the study of the 
Democratic party organization in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and 
Michigan from the close of the presidential campaign in 1836 
to the preparation for that of 1840. In Ohio and Indiana, as 
has been shown, the Democratic party had already become well 
organized and little that was new was presented in these states 
in this later period. The chief thing to be noted is the further 
solidifying and perfecting of that organization attained in these 
states by 1836. The same is largely true of Michigan, in which 
the Democratic party was quite as far advanced in organization 
as in the two older states. In Illinois, on the other hand, the 
situation was different and a conspicuous advancement was 
made during these three years, so that by 1840 the four states 
had developed similar organizations and all were well estab¬ 
lished in the use of the delegate and convention system. 

The summer of 1837 contributed but little of interest in the 
Democratic party organization in Ohio. After the election of 
1836 the next interesting and important political event in Ohio 
was the state convention of January, 1838, for the nomination of 
a governor. There was some objection to having the conven¬ 
tion in the winter because of bad weather and roads and the 
difficulties of travel but the patriotic Democratic central com¬ 
mittee could not abandon the memorable eighth of January. 1 
In response to their call the editor of the Statesman, which was 
then the leading Democratic paper of the state, wrote: “Let 
Democrats everywhere meet, reorganize, consult, and resolve.” 2 
Much interest was shown in preparing for the convention, but 

1 Ohio Statesman (Columbus), Nov. 7, 14, and 21, 1837; (See p. 53, 
note 100.) 

2 Ibid, Nov. 21, 1837. 


( 88 ) 



Democratic Party Organisation in the Northwest. 89 

few new features appeared. The Fairfield County convention 
appointed a central committee for the county “to be reported to 
the state convention.” 3 Washington County, while appointing 
delegates to the state convention, appointed a “congressional 
corresponding committee for the county” to be presented for the 
approval of the state convention. 4 This reference of such ap¬ 
pointments to the state convention for approval was unusual and 
seems to have indicated a deference for that body. In Guernsey 
County a meeting at Washington on January i, 1838, added six 
delegates to the number already appointed by a meeting at Cam¬ 
bridge in the same county, 5 although the number of delegates 
from this county who reported in the state convention was only 
three. 6 The first seven resolutions on political principles adopted 
by this meeting were identically the same as had been adopted by 
the Franklin County meeting, December 16. 7 Such copying of 
resolutions was quite common in all county meetings. The editor 
of the Statesman at Columbus cooperated with the Democrats 
in counties which had no Democratic paper of their own by 
publishing the proceedings of their meetings promptly. 8 The 
enthusiasm for the state convention is indicated by the fact that 
larger numbers of delegates than usual were appointed by the 
county conventions. In Franklin County, three hundred were 
appointed; 9 in Delaware from two hundred to four hundred; 10 
in Fairfield, one hundred forty-six. 11 These delegations were 
the largest appointed. In the list of delegates reported at the 
convention, there were from Franklin one hundred fifty-six, 
from Delaware twenty-nine, and from Fairfield sixty-five. 12 
Seven counties were represented by one each and the total at¬ 
tendance was six hundred fifteen from fifty-two of the seventy- 


* Ohio Statesman, Dec. 26, 1837. 

4 Ibid, Jan. 2, 1838. 

6 Ibid, Jan. 5, 1838. 

8 Ibid, Jan. 12, 1838. 

I Ibid, Dec. 22, 1837. 

8 Ibid, Jan. 9, 1838, editorial. 

9 Ibid, Dec. 22, 1837. 

i0 Ibid, Jan. 5, 1838. 

II Ibid, Dec. 26, 1837. 

u Ibid. Tan. 12, 1838. 



90 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

four counties then in the state. The convention nominated a 
governor, appointed a state central committee to serve until the 
next convention, and resolved that it would be expedient to hold 
a state convention of Democratic young men at Newark on the 
second Wednesday in September. 

The year 1838 brought the congressional election again in 
Ohio 13 and a series of congressional district conventions. At 
the same time there are the usual accounts of township, county, 
and legislative district meetings but they were more numerous 
and better systematized than before. The Democratic papers of 
the state were active. An article in the Statesman in January 
listed forty-three of them and the editor suggested that they 
open a regular exchange until after the fall election. 14 The 
Ohio Eagle and Muskingum Valley at once responded to this 
suggestion, sending copies to all the other Democratic papers in 
the state, and inviting a general exchange in return. The sub¬ 
scriptions to Democratic papers increased rapidly at this time. 18 
Resolutions in some of the county meetings favored the establish¬ 
ment of Democratic papers. The meeting in Guernsey County 
in January, already mentioned, resolved that “the establishment 
of a Democratic press in this county is a measure of vital im¬ 
portance to every true Republican in the county.” 16 A Union 
County Democratic meeting in October resolved “that immediate 
steps be taken to establish a Democratic press in this legislative 
district” and a committee was appointed to confer upon this sub¬ 
ject with the Democratic central committees of Marion and 
Crawford Counties. 17 

The most enthusiastic event of the year in Ohio was the 
meeting of the Democratic young men of the state at Newark. 
This had been suggested for September by the state conven¬ 
tion but the Democratic young men’s state central committee 
later issued a circular and changed the date to the seventeenth 

13 Twelve of the nineteen congressional districts elected Democratic 
congressmen. 

14 Ohio Statesman, Jan. 16 and Feb. 2, 1838. 

9 Ibid, Feb. 23, 1838. 

16 Ibid, Jan. 5, 1838. 

17 Ibid, Nov. 14, 1838. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 91 

of August. 18 The preparations were conducted on a vast scale. 
The Democrats of Pickaway County appointed two hundred 
delegates. 19 The Franklin County meeting referred the ap¬ 
pointment of delegates to a committee and empowered this com¬ 
mittee to extend the number of delegates to five hundred. 20 The 
meeting in Delaware County appointed “all the Democratic Re¬ 
publican electors of the county under the age of thirty-eight,” as 
delegates. 21 A young men’s central committee for the county 
was appointed and it was requested to appoint in each town¬ 
ship a young men’s committee of vigilance. The county meet¬ 
ings in preparation for the convention were either regular county 
conventions or young men’s meetings. The number who at¬ 
tended the convention was estimated at from four to six thou¬ 
sand. 22 A long address and resolutions were adopted. The 
Volksblatt of Cincinnati and the Vaterlandsfreund of Canton 
were recommended to the German citizens as the only two Ger¬ 
man papers of the state which advocated doctrines of true De¬ 
mocracy. A young men’s state central committee of seven was 
appointed. It was resolved “that the members of this con¬ 
vention use their endeavors to have Democratic Republican as¬ 
sociations formed in each township, disseminating necessary po¬ 
litical knowledge among the people, to secure unity of action 
among the Democracy of the state.” 

Indiana . 

In Indiana after the campaign of 1836 the Democratic party 
relaxed its efforts and its organization declined. The following 
year brought the congressional and gubernatorial elections again 
in this state and neither awakened any organizing activity among 
the Democrats. The reward of this lethargy was the loss of 
every congressional district in the state, except the first, by a 
popular vote of almost 2 to 1 ini the aggregate in the August 

18 Ohio Statesman, July 4, 1838. 

10 Ibid, Aug. 15, 1838. 

20 Ibid, Aug. 15, 1838. 

21 Ibid, Aug. 15, 1838. 

22 Ibid, Aug. 29, 1838, quoting Newark Constitutionalist. 



92 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

elections. 23 For the governorship the Democrats did not even 
bring forward a candidate. Moreover there was still a decided 
tendency to eliminate national politics from the state election and 
the Democrats supported the different Whig candidates for gov¬ 
ernor. 24 The Whig party itself was much divided on the gov¬ 
ernorship, having several candidates for it, and it would have 
been easy to elect a strong Democratic candidate had one been 
presented. There is no account of nominating conventions but 
in October, 1837, the Indiana Democrat proposed that county 
meetings preparatory to a state convention in December, be held 
to discuss and adopt resolutions on political principles. 25 Other 
Democratic papers seconded the suggestion. 26 Although much 
apathy was shown, the convention assembled, December 13, and 
requested the party throughout the state to hold county meet¬ 
ings for the purpose of expressing their views and of reor¬ 
ganizing the party. 27 There was little response to this request. 
A meeting in Clark County, January 8, 1838, thoroughly reor¬ 
ganized the party in that county and appointed a committee to 
solicit contributions for defraying the expenses of publishing 
three thousand copies of its address and proceedings. 28 The 
Democratic members of the legislature and others met at In¬ 
dianapolis, February 1, and appointed a committee to report to an 
adjourned meeting on the tenth a plan for the organization of the 
party in the state, and although this adjourned meeting was held 
and adopted a long address, nothing seems to have been done in 
the way of party organization, 29 and few, if any, county meet¬ 
ings were held preparatory to the August election. Following 
this election a significant statement appeared in one of the lead¬ 
ing Democratic papers of the state. Referring to the plan of 
party organization recommended by the state convention of Jan¬ 
uary 8, 1836, already presented, the writer said: “Had it been 


83 Whig Almanac (New York), 1838. 

M Indiana Democrat, April 19, and May 31, 1837. 

* Ibid, Oct. 4, 1837. 

20 Ibid, Oct. 25, Nov. 8, 15, and 22, 1837. 

27 Western Sun, Jan. 13, 1838, quoting Indiana Democrat. 

28 Western Sun, Jan. 27, 1838, quoting Indianian. 

29 Western Sun, Feb. 17 and 24, 1838, quoting Indiana Democrat. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 93 

adopted and acted upon by the Democrats, they would not have 
been divided in opinion respecting the proper men to receive their 
support, as they were at the late election.” 30 

The next year more attention was given to party organiza¬ 
tion. At least some of the congressional districts held regular 
nominating conventions composed of delegates from the various 
counties of the district, chosen by conventions of delegates ap¬ 
pointed by township meetings. 31 It was partly .because of this 
and partly from a reaction, perhaps, that the Democrats regained 
their control of the state in the elections of 1839. Five of the 
seven congressional districts elected Democratic congressmen, and 
although the legislature had been Whig for several years, both 
branches of it then became Democratic. 32 

Illinois. 

In Illinois the year 1837 marked further development in 
Democratic party organization. At this time occurred the first 
state convention which nominated a governor and for the second 
time a congressional district convention was held in the third, or 
northern district of the state. A nominating convention was 
also recommended for the following spring in another congres¬ 
sional district; the convention system was rapidly gaining favor 
and being adopted in the legislative districts and in the counties, 
and the party organization was extending to the precincts. Gen¬ 
erally too, the Democratic editors of the state had come to 
favor the convention system. 33 

The movement for the state convention originated in a meet¬ 
ing of the Democratic members of the legislature and others in 
Vandalia in July. 34 This meeting which was nothing but a 
party caucus, though it “assembled agreeably to public notice,” 
effected the first party organization for the state. It urged that 
delegates be chosen from all the counties “in such manner as they 

30 Western Sun, Oct. 6, 1838. 

31 Ibid, Mar. 30, 1839. 

82 Ibid, Aug. 31, 1839. 

33 Illinois State Register, June 9, 1837, editorial. 

84 Ibid, July 21, 1837. 



94 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications . 

may adopt,” to meet at Vandalia the second Monday of December 
to nominate candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. 
A central committee of fifteen, five from each congressional dis¬ 
trict, was appointed to correspond with other committees through¬ 
out the state. Another committee of thirty, of which Stephen 
A. Douglas was one, 35 was appointed to prepare an address in 
the interests of the party and the convention. This address was 
published later and set forth the advantages of the convention 
system. 36 In pursuance of this call the Democrats of Sangamon 
County met in Springfield early in October and at their request 
were addressed by Douglas in support of public meetings and 
conventions. 37 Resolutions were adopted approving nomina¬ 
tions by conventions and delegates were appointed to the state 
convention. A meeting in Fayette County early in November ap¬ 
pointed delegates to the state convention and recommended the 
Democrats of the county “to hold meetings in their several 
neighborhoods, at the places of electing justices and constables 
and there elect delegates to meet in Vandalia with other dele¬ 
gates from Effingham County” to form a Democratic ticket for 
the next August election. 38 The meeting in Pike County after 
appointing delegates to the state convention and a central com¬ 
mittee for the county, requested the Democrats of the several pre¬ 
cincts to hold meetings and choose delegates to act in concert with 
the central committee. 39 Many counties appointed delegates and 
the convention seems to have been quite representative. 40 J. W. 
Stephenson was nominated for governor. 

Early in September, 1837, an editorial appeared in the 
Springfield Republican 41 reminding the Democrats of the third 
congressional district that the time was approaching when it 
would be necessary to hold a convention to nominate a candi¬ 
date for congress; that the fall terms of the courts would be a 

85 Sheahan, Life of Douglas, p. 35. 

86 Illinois State Register, Nov. 3, 1837. 

"Ibid, Oct. 27. 1837. 

"Ibid, Nov. 10, 1837. 

"Ibid, Dec. 8, 1837. 

40 Ibid, Dec. 22, 1837. 

41 Quoted in Illinois State Register, Sept. 8, 1837. 



Democratic Party Organisation in the Northwest. 95 

good time for the people to hold their primary meetings to ap¬ 
point delegates to it; and the third Monday of November at 
Peoria was suggested for the time and place. In pursuance of 
this suggestion a series of county meetings appointed delegates 
to this convention. Many of these meetings appointed delegates 
to both the district and the state conventions and adopted reso¬ 
lutions in support of the convention plan for nominations. On 
November 20, the convention assembled at Peoria. 42 Sixteen 
counties, which were about half of those in the district, were 
represented by forty-one delegates. A committee was appointed 
to prepare and publish an address to the people of the district. 
It was resolved that a corresponding committee be appointed, 
consisting of one from each county of the district, with power to 
call conventions at its discretion. Upon balloting for a can¬ 
didate for congress, Stephen A. Douglas received a majority of 
the votes and was nominated. 

That congressional district nominating conventions were be¬ 
coming favorably considered in the southern part of the state, is 
shown by the action of county conventions in both the first and 
second congressional districts. A Democratic meeting in Clin¬ 
ton County in December, 1837, adopted resolutions approving 
conventions and besides appointing delegates) to the state con¬ 
vention, recommended the voters in the first congressional dis¬ 
trict to appoint delegates to a convention to be held at Kaskaskia 
in March, 1838, to select a candidate for congress. 43 Again in 
the second congressional district a meeting in Edgar County 
in May, 1838, after appointing delegates to attend a second state 
convention in Vandalia in June for the nomination of a gov¬ 
ernor, authorized these delegates “if thought expedient,” to meet 
with the other delegates from that congressional district, and in 
the capacity of a congressional convention, to agree upon a can¬ 
didate for congress. 44 This second gubernatorial nominating con¬ 
vention in June, 1838, was made necessary, as Mr. Stephenson 
was accused of being a public defaulter and declined to run for 

42 Account given in Peoria (Illinois) Register and Northwestern 
Gazetteer, Nov. 25, 1837; Globe, Dec. 12, 1837. 

43 Illinois State Register, Dec..8, 1837. 

“Ibid, May 25, 1838, quoting Illinois Statesman. 



96 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

the office of governor. 45 To meet this emergency a call was 
issued by the Democratic press of the state for a second con¬ 
vention. The convention assembled June 4. Twenty counties 
were represented by sixty-two delegates, the number varying 
from 1 to 8 from each county. 46 Thomas Carlin was nominated 
for governor. 

The influence and leadership of the Democratic press was 
well illustrated in this case. An editorial in the State Register 
read thus: 47 “In favor of the reassemblage of the convention 
* * * we have now a considerable majority of the Demo¬ 

cratic press.” Seven papers were named as having expressed 
themselves in favor of it. “The question is thus settled,” said 
the editor, “and we call upon the delegates * * * to set out 

at once for the convention. The first Monday in June is the day 
unanimously agreed upon.” The Galena Democrat issued an 
extra, May 5, in which *it called upon the Democracy of Jo 
Daviess County to meet in convention on the twenty-sixth and 
choose delegates to the state convention, which was done. Ap¬ 
preciation of the press was indicated by the Edgar County meet¬ 
ing which resolved : 48 “That as the success of Republican prin¬ 
ciples depends greatly upon the intelligence of the people, we 
would respectfully impress upon the minds of our friends the 
importance of a general diffusion of correct political information; 
and to to this end, this meeting would exhort the members of the 
Democratic party throughout the country, to use their influence 
to extend the circulation of Democratic newspapers.” 

The Democratic party in Illinois in 1838 elected Thomas 
Carlin for governor by a small majority. In the first district John 
Reynolds was elected to congress by the Democrats; in the second 
district, Zodac Casey, who had been a Democrat, was elected by 
both parties; in the third, or northern district, an exciting con¬ 
test was waged between Stephen A. Douglas (Democrat) and 
John T. Stuart (Whig) and resulted in the election of Stuart 

45 Stephenson’s letter of withdrawal, published in the Galena Demo¬ 
crat was quoted in the Alton (Illinois) Telegraph, May 23, 1838. 

40 Peoria Register, June 16, 1838. 

47 Illinois State Register, May 25, 1838. 

48 Ibid, May 25, 1838, quoting Illinois Statesman. 



Democratic Party Organisation in the Northwest. 97 

by a majority of only a few votes. It is doubtful whether he 
would have been elected if the election had been contested. This 
campaign reminds one of the greater campaign between Lincoln 
and Douglas just twenty years later. Stuart was the only Whig 
elected to congress from Illinois prior to 1840. The fact that 
the northern part of the state was being settled rapidly at this 
time, may help to explain this breakdown in the uniform Demo¬ 
cratic success in congressional elections in Illinois. This incom¬ 
ing mass overpowered for the time being the machine which 
Douglas and the Democrats were building up and perfecting. 
After 1840 for a number of years the northern part of the state, 
except in a single district, resumed its earlier habit of electing 
Democrats to congress. This meant that the Democratic party 
organization was succeeding in assimilating a larger portion of 
the population, not to mention the principles, personal attach¬ 
ments, traditions, and prejudices involved in party affiliation. 

Although the organizing activity of the party in 1839 * n 
Illinois was largely in connection with the state convention in 
December for nominating presidential electors, yet there was a 
general expansion and solidifying of the work. Party organiza¬ 
tion was extending to the precincts, legislative district conven¬ 
tions were becoming common, the committee system was en¬ 
larged and perfected, and in general quite advanced ground was 
taken beyond that of the previous year. Thus on February 25, 
a Democratic meeting in the hall of representatives appointed a 
state central corresponding committee of seven, a committee of 
correspondence of three or less in each county and a committee 
of seven to prepare an address to the people of the state. 49 Early 
in the spring the “Democratic general committee” of the sen¬ 
atorial district about Galena issued a stirring address to the 
Democratic citizens of the district, urging the necessity of an 
immediate organization : 50 “Let the Democratic citizens of each 
precinct in the district meet together and appoint corresponding 
committees * * * and select delegates to attend a Democratic 

convention to be held at some central point for the purpose of 

40 Illinois State Register, May 10, 1839. 

60 Ibid, March 22, 1839, quoting Galena Democrat, Extra. 

Vol. XXIV —7. 



98 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

adopting a perfect system of organization throughout the whole 
district.” In pursuance of this plan, a county meeting at Galena 
in February and a precinct meeting near Galena in March ap¬ 
pointed delegates to a district convention to be held at Dixon in 
June. 51 The latter meeting appointed a committee of vigilance 
for the precinct. 

The district convention however, was more often brought 
about by a county meeting than by a senatorial committee, as 
these had seldom been appointed at this time. In April, a large 
Democratic meeting in Fayette County called a district conven¬ 
tion to be held in Clay County in October, to nominate a senator 
to represent Fayette, Effingham, and Clay Counties. 52 It also re¬ 
solved that the delegates from Fayette and Effingham Counties 
at the same time and place should nominate two persons for 
representatives from those counties; and after appointing dele¬ 
gates to represent Fayette County, the meeting recommended 
that primary meetings be held in the other counties to select dele¬ 
gates to the convention. This recommendation was complied 
with by the other counties and the convention was duly held, 
the nominations were made, and a committee was appointed to 
draft an address to the people of the senatorial district. 53 

That the precinct was in evidence in party organization in 
the spring of 1839 is again illustrated by the fact that a Dem¬ 
ocratic meeting was held in the Ottawa precinct in April, which 
was attended by “between two hundred and three hundred” for 
the purpose of choosing delegates to represent the precinct in 
the county convention to nominate candidates for the August 
election. 54 A meeting in Lee County in May, besides appointing 
a corresponding committee for the county, named a local com¬ 
mittee in each of the six precincts of the county. 55 

Michigan. 

The Democratic party organization in Michigan in 1837 had 
already reached the stage of development toward which it was 

61 Chicago Democrat, May 1, 1839, quoting Galena Democrat. 

62 Illinois State Register, Apr. 26, 1839. 

63 Ibid, Nov. 9, 1839. 

54 Chicago Democrat, May 1, 1839. 

60 Illinois State Register, Nov. 30, 1839. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 99 

struggling in Illinois. From the townships through the counties 
and districts to the state, the system of committees, delegates, 
and conventions was well worked out and running smoothly. 
Committees of vigilance and correspondence and committees on 
credentials had become quite familiar and in preparation for the 
fall election, Detroit appointed a vigilance committee of nearly a 
hundred. 56 The senatorial district nominating conventions 
seemed more regular and to occupy a more definite place in the 
Democratic party activity in Michigan at this time than in any 
other of the northwestern states. 

The chief political events of the year were the election of 
a governor 57 and a member of congress. The term of Mr. 
Crary in congress had expired in March and the legislature ap¬ 
pointed a special election for August 21 and 22 to choose a suc¬ 
cessor in time for him to attend the special session of congress 
called for September. 58 The election of governor was held 
later. The party was divided by a small State Rights faction 
which made a separate nomination for governor but the vote 
cast was so small that it need hardly be noticed. Preparatory to 
these elections there were two state conventions, one for the 
nomination of candidates for governor and for a member of con¬ 
gress, and the other a convention of the Democratic young men. 

The calling of the regular state convention was first sug¬ 
gested by a Democratic caucus of the state legislature, which 
was held pursuant to public notice in the hall of the house of 
representatives on the twentieth of June. 59 It requested the state 
corresponding committee to call the convention to meet at Ann 
Arbor the twentieth of July, to nominate candidates for governor, 
lieutenant governor, and member of congress. It also appointed 
a committee to prepare resolutions and an address to the Dem¬ 
ocratic electors of the state. This address urged the “importance 
of adopting early and efficient measures in every township and 
county in the state, to insure a full and satisfactory representa- 

68 Detroit Free Press, Nov. 6, 1837. 

57 Michigan elected a governor every two years. 

58 Detroit Free Press, June 27, and Aug. 11, 1837. 

™ Ibid, June 22, 1837. 



100 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

tion” in the state convention. 60 In compliance with this request, 
the Democratic state corresponding committee on June 26, issued 
the call for the convention. 61 Some of the proceedings in one 
or two of the county conventions which met to send delegates, 
may be noted in passing. The convention in Livingston County, 
attended by delegates from all the townships, resolved “that 
three delegates from each organized township be entitled to seats 
in the county convention for the nomination of county officers.” 62 
Thus equal representation was provided for the townships. In 
the Wayne County convention a committee of one from each 
township represented was appointed to examine credentials of 
members, which was a very usual procedure. 63 Besides ap¬ 
pointing a corresponding committee for the county, the several 
townships in the county were requested to appoint correspond¬ 
ing committees. These examples illustrate the advanced meth¬ 
ods of organization employed in county conventions in Michigan 
at this time. The state convention assembled at the appointed 
time and a committee of one from each county was appointed to 
examine credentials. 64 One hundred four delegates were pres¬ 
ent from twenty-four counties. Wayne County sent sixteen 
delegates, Washtenaw fourteen, some only one, but the majority 
of the counties sent two delegates each. Some counties in the 
northern peninsula had delegates from the southern part of the 
state represent them. A special committee was appointed to 
examine their credentials and reported them satisfactory. After 
several ballotings, Stevens T. Mason was nominated for governor 
and Isaac E. Crary for congressman. A number of resolutions 
were adopted and an address ’was to be prepared later and pub¬ 
lished in the Democratic papers of the state. A state correspond¬ 
ing committee of five was appointed for the ensuing year and 
until their successors should be appointed, “together with an 
additional member from each organized county.” Twenty-five 
such members were added. 

80 Detroit Free Press, Aug. 11, 1887. 

"Ibid, June 27, 1837. 

62 Ibid, July 18, 1837. 

"Ibid, July 17, 1837. 

M Ibid, July 24, 1837. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 101 

Early in July the Democratic young men’s state central 
committee issued a circular calling for a state convention to be 
held at Ann Arbor, July 27, and recommending that each county 
send the same number of delegates as it was entitled to repre¬ 
sentatives in the state legislature. 65 The committee also recom¬ 
mended that, for the better organization of the party, township 
and county corresponding committees be appointed in such town¬ 
ships and counties as were without them. On July 20, a second 
circular was issued postponing the date of the convention to 
October 5. 68 On August 5, the committee issued another cir¬ 
cular recommending that the number of delegates be increased 
to three times the number of representatives in the legislature. 67 
In preparation for this convention, township meetings appointed 
delegates to county conventions which in turn appointed dele¬ 
gates, just as in the case of the regular state convention, and 
similar local committees were appointed. The young men’s cor¬ 
responding committee of Wayne County issued a circular the 
latter part of July, calling upon the township corresponding 
committees to forward to the secretary of the county commit¬ 
tee the names of their members, and recommending such town¬ 
ships as had no committees to appoint them as early as pos¬ 
sible. 68 The Democratic young men of Detroit also organized 
and had their corresponding committees. 69 The convention as¬ 
sembled at the time and place designated. 70 Eleven counties 
were represented by ninety-five delegates, of whom thirty-two 
were from Washtenaw, twenty-seven from Wayne, and several 
of the counties were represented by only one delegate each. A 
committee was appointed to prepare an address to the young 
men of Michigan. A committee of five residing in Ann Arbor, 
was named as a state corresponding committee, and two from 
each county were added as corresponding members. The Dem¬ 
ocratic young men of the state were requested to hold primary 

66 Detroit Free Press, July 10, 1837. 

w Ibid, July 25, 1837. 

“Ibid, Sept. 7, 1837. 

68 Ibid, July 26, 1837. 

89 Ibid, Sept. 12, 1837. 

70 Ibid, Oct. 10, 1837. 



102 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

meetings in their several townships to make arrangements for 
the ensuing election. 

The Democratic papers of Michigan were active in combat¬ 
ing those of the Whigs. An editorial in the Detroit Press in 
July in speaking of the Whig efforts to flood the state with 
papers, said that to meet these efforts it would he the duty of 
the Democrats to provide for the circulation of their own pa¬ 
pers sufficiently to counteract them, and suggested to the Dem¬ 
ocratic county committees the propriety of attending to this in 
their respective counties. 71 In order to supply this greater de¬ 
mand the editor of the Press proposed to publish a larger edition 
from the first of August till after the November election. A 
census of the press of Michigan in August, 1837, gave seventeen 
Democratic and five Whig papers. 72 

The election gave majorities to the Democratic candidates 
for governor and congressman, 73 but a Democratic meeting in 
Detroit nobly resolved to use the money which would be ex¬ 
pended in celebrating the victory, for the relief of the poor. 74 
A collecting committee was appointed, consisting of one from 
each ward in the city, which was authorized to appoint a dis¬ 
bursing committee. 

In July, 1838, the Democratic state central committee issued 
a circular to the county committees throughout the state, calling 
attention to the approaching election for a member of congress, 
members of the legislature, and county officers on the first Mon¬ 
day and Tuesday of November. 75 The committee recommended 
that a state convention meet at Ann Arbor, September 11, com¬ 
posed of four times as many delegates as there were 
representatives in the legislature; and that each county unor¬ 
ganized send two delegates. One hundred seventy-five delegates 
attended the state convention representing twenty-two counties. 76 

71 Detroit Free Press, July 19, 1837. 

72 Ibid, Aug. 10, 1837. 

13 Ibid, Sept. 5, and Dec. 13, 1837. 

74 Ibid, Nov. 28, 1837. 

n Niles (Michigan) Intelligencer, July 18, 1838; Detroit Free Press, 
July 16, 1838. 

76 Niles Intelligencer, Sept. 19, 1838; Detroit Free Press, Sept. 17, 


1838. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 103 

The ratio of representation in the different counties was about 
the same as in the preceding conventions. It was resolved that 
when ten members should require it, the ballotings should be by 
counties, each county having the same number of votes as the 
number of delegates to which it was entitled, which votes were 
to be determined by the majority of its delegates present. After 
nominating Isaac E. Crary as a candidate for congress, the con¬ 
vention adopted a series of resolutions on political principles 
and policy, and appointed a state central corresponding commit¬ 
tee, consisting of one member from each of the seven senatorial 
districts of the state. It was earnestly recommended to the 
Democracy of the state to perfect without delay a strong or¬ 
ganization in the respective counties. 

The Democratic young men of the state were again active 
in 1838, and in the latter part of July their corresponding com¬ 
mittee issued a circular recommending the committee of each 
county to call a county convention, for the more thorough or¬ 
ganization of the party and the election of delegates to a state 
convention, to be held at Ann Arbor on the eighteenth of Sep¬ 
tember. 77 It was recommended that the number of delegates 
be four times the number of representatives in the legislature and 
that each county not having a representative be entitled to three 
delegates. The convention drafted an address and resolutions 
and appointed a central corresponding committee of three, lo¬ 
cated at Ann Arbor. 78 The corresponding committees of the 
counties for the past year wjre reappointed. 

The apportionment of representation in county and district 
conventions, and the division of counties into representative dis¬ 
tricts were often carefully arranged by committees. Thus in 
the senatorial convention for the seventh district, a central com¬ 
mittee for this district, consisting of three members, was ap¬ 
pointed which was to apportion the number of delegates. 79 In 
the Berrien County convention, a committee of one from each 
township was appointed to apportion the number of delegates to 

TT Detroit Free Press, Aug-. 1, 1838; Niles Intelligencer, Aug. 22, 1838. 

78 Detroit Free Press, Sept. 25, 1838. 

70 Niles Intelligencer, Sept. 26, 1838; Detroit Free Press, Sept. 28, 


1838. 



104 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

represent the different townships in this convention. 80 In the 
Wayne County convention a committee was appointed to divide 
the county into representative districts, from each of which a can¬ 
didate was to be nominated for the legislature. 81 In the Lenawee 
County convention a committee divided the county into districts 
for sending senatorial delegates. 82 

A few other Democratic organizing activities deserve men¬ 
tion. A state organization called the “Democratic Society of the 
State of Michigan” was formed at Detroit in August, to carry 
out the principles of the party, and held occasional meetings. 83 
The German citizens of Detroit met in October and passed reso¬ 
lutions approving the Democratic nominations for state and 
county offices. 84 About the same time French Democratic cit¬ 
izens of Wayne County assembled and adopted a spirited ad¬ 
dress and resolutions, and several speeches in the French language 
were made to the meeting. 85 A meeting of the “adopted cit¬ 
izens” of Detroit also passed resolutions and appointed a vigilance 
committee. Democratic meetings were held in each of the wards 
of Detroit, after which, by order of the several ward committees, 
a meeting was held of all the Democrats in the city. 86 A vigilance 
committee of thirty-two was appointed to attend the polls on the 
days of election, and ten were named as challengers to be present 
at the canvassing of the votes. At the elections of 1838 in Mich¬ 
igan, as in the previous year, the Democratic ticket prevailed. 87 

The year 1839 was comparatively uneventful in party or¬ 
ganization in Michigan. In March, Detroit was reorganized into 
six wards, 88 and in April, meetings in all of these sent delegates 
to a Detroit Democratic convention to nominate candidates for 


80 Niles Intelligencer, Sept. 5, 1888. 

81 Detroit Free Press, Sept. 3, 1838. 

62 Ibid, Sept. 15, 1838. 

83 Ibid, Aug. 21, 1838. 

84 Ibid, Oct. 21, 1838. 

86 Ibid, Oct. 25, 1838. 

M Ibid, Oct. 31, and Nov. 5, 1838. 

“Ibid, Dec. 21, 1838. 

88 Farmer, History of Detroit , p. 147; Act of Michigan Legislature, 
March 27, 1839. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 105 

city offices. 89 Printed notices, in blank for calling ward meet¬ 
ings were provided by the office of the Detroit Press . 90 In July 
the chairman of the Democratic state corresponding committee 
issued a call for a state convention to be held at Ann Arbor, Sep¬ 
tember ii, for the purpose of nominating candidates to be sup¬ 
ported for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor on 
the first Monday and Tuesday of November. 91 The usual series 
of township and county meetings preparatory to the state con¬ 
vention was held. One hundred forty-nine delegates attended 
and the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor were 
nominated by ballot. 92 A committee of one from each of the 
seven senatorial districts drafted resolutions. Three delegates 
were appointed to attend the national convention at Baltimore 
in May, to nominate a president and vice-president. A state cor¬ 
responding committee was appointed, consisting of six residents 
of Detroit and a resident of each of the seven senatorial dis¬ 
tricts, thirteen in all, a majority of whom had power to call the 
next state convention. This state committee on September 30, 
issued a lengthy address to the Democrats of Michigan. 93 

From the first Wednesday of September until after the 
election in November, a weekly campaign paper, The Democratic 
Republican, was advertised to be issued from the office of the 
Detroit Free Press by the Democratic Association of Detroit 94 
Preceding the November election a series of rally meetings was 
held in Detroit. Special effort was made to gain the foreign 
population and one of the meetings was addressed by several 
Irishmen who endeavored to win the Irish vote. 95 But in 
spite of these systematic efforts the tables were turned and the 
election brought victory to the Whigs. 96 

89 Detroit Free Press, Apr. 12, 1839. 

00 Ibid, Apr. 4, 1839. 

n Ibid, July 8, 1839; Niles Intelligencer, July 17, 1839. 

M See Detroit Free Press, Sept. 13, 1839, for account of convention 

93 Published in Detroit Free Press, Oct. 2, 1839. 

94 Ibid, July 15, 1839. 

"Ibid, Nov. 1, 1839. 

96 Ibid, Nov. 11, 1839. 



CHAPTER V. 

CAMPAIGN OF 1840. 

Ohio. 

There remain to be sketched the chief organizing activities 
of the Democratic party throughout the Northwest in preparing 
for and conducting the campaign of 1840. First in Ohio, In¬ 
diana, and Illinois came the state conventions of December, 1839, 
and January, 1840, for the nomination of presidential electors. 
This convention was not held in Michigan until June, 1840. In 
the Northwest generally the campaign was marked by more 
activity than usual in the way of organization, not to mention 
the great mass meetings, celebrations, and speeches. There was 
not much that was new in the way of organization. The ob¬ 
ject of the party wasi rather to utilize to the utmost all that 
had been developed so that all the machinery previously organized 
was then brought into use. 

In Ohio the most interesting political organizing activity in 
1839 was the preparation for the biennial state convention of 
January 8, 1840. Unusual enthusiasm was shown and although 
the formal call for the convention was not issued by the state 
committee until early in November, a number of the counties 
had anticipated it and had already appointed delegates. In the 
circular which called the convention the committee said: “The 
first great object to be accomplished is an organization of our 
strength. To do this effectually we must have a rallying point. 
* * * The committee prefer making no suggestions as to the 

ratio of delegation. Each county will judge in that point and 
send such number as they may prefer.” 1 The county meetings 
appointed delegates accordingly. The Champaign County con¬ 
vention recommended “that as many attend the state convention 
as could.” 2 The Morgan County convention specially appointed 

1 Ohio Statesman, Nov. 6, 1839. 

e Ibid, Nov. 20, 1839. 


( 106 ) 



Democratic Party Organisation in the Northwest. 107 

seventy-three “and all other Democratic citizens of this county 
who may attend.” 3 One hundred thirty-eight were appointed 
in Perry County with power to appoint any others who should 
happen to be in Columbus on January 8. 4 In Delaware County 
fifty-four were chosen, “with power to add such others as they 
may think proper.” 5 6 The Seneca County convention appointed 
thirty-nine “and all other Van Buren Democrats of Seneca 
County who may choose to attend the Columbus convention.” 3 
One hundred twenty-five were appointed in Richland County, 7 
one hundred thirty-seven in Knox, 8 and one hundred eighty-eight 
in Ross County. 9 Some county conventions appointed delegates 
from the townships, others appointed them from the county as a 
whole and still others combined these two methods of appoint¬ 
ment. The general committee of arrangements for the conven¬ 
tion met in Columbus, December 26, and appointed a finance 
committee of three to collect funds to defray the expenses in¬ 
cident to the convention, and a committee of three to procure 
powder and superintend the firing of cannon. 10 Nine hundred 
twenty delegates attended from seventy-two counties. 11 The 
attendance was so large that the convention adjourned to the 
state house yard and held its deliberations in the snow. The 
officers chosen for the meeting consisted of a president, twenty- 
one vice-presidents, and five secretaries. Committees were ap¬ 
pointed to draft an address and resolutions, and to select twenty- 
one presidential electors who were instructed to vote for the 
nominees of the coming national convention. Twenty-one dele¬ 
gates, two senatorial and one from each of the nineteen con- 

8 Ohio Statesman, Dec. 13, 1839. 

4 Ibid, Jan. 8, 1840. 

8 Ibid, Dec. 31, 1839. 

6 Ibid, Dec. 31, 1839. 

1 1bid, Dec. 24, 1839. 

* Ibid, Dec. 27, 1839. 

9 Ibid, Dec. 27, 1839. 

10 Ibid, Dec. 27, 1839. The firing of cannon was perhaps rather to 
aid in the recurring celebration of the victory of New Orleans, than 
to aid the convention. 

u For account of convention, see Ohio Statesman, Jan. 8, 9, and 10, 


1840. 



108 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

gressional districts, were selected to attend this convention at 
Baltimore in May. Governor Shannon was nominated for a 
second term. A state central committee of seven was appointed 
to serve for two years with power to fill vacancies in the electoral 
ticket. It was recommended that the Democratic young men of 
Ohio hold a convention on the third Wednesday in August at 
Mt. Vernon. 

The organizing activity of the party in Ohio in 1840 ex¬ 
ceeded that of any previous year. The whole population was 
astir and there was probably not a township in the state which 
did not have its appointed meetings for the election of delegates. 
A number of Democratic associations were formed and Hickory 
Clubs were reorganized or formed anew. The organization was 
frequently extended to the school districts. The Irish, the Ger¬ 
mans, and the young men all were active and contributed their 
parts to organization. Political orators, too, with their elaborate 
itineraries, infested the state as never before; and great mass 
meetings, far overshadowing in number and size anything which 
had previously been held, were characteristic of the campaign. 

The following examples will illustrate a number of these 
facts and show the general tendencies. A Hamilton County 
meeting in February recommended the establishment of Dem¬ 
ocratic associations in the wards and townships which should 
hold meetings for free discussion once a week and report their 
proceedings to the Democratic association at Cincinnati. 12 Early 
in February in Butler County, was formed the “Democratic As¬ 
sociation of Hamilton and Rossville”, which recommended “the 
revival of the Hickory Club [a newspaper] for disseminating 
correct political information.” 13 The officers of the association 
and the central Democratic committee of the county were to ap¬ 
point an editorial committee to conduct the paper. The latter 
part of February an active Hickory Club was formed by the 
citizens of Canton 14 and about the same time a similar club was 
formed in Columbus which met biweekly. 15 The Hickory Club 

13 Ohio Statesman , Mar. 10, 1840. 

“ Ibid, Feb. 25, 1840. 

14 Ibid, Mar. 10, 1840, quoting Stark County Democrat. 

“ Ohio Statesman, Mar. 13, 1840. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 109 

in Madison County in July arranged for a public discussion on 
the subject of the next presidency. 16 In April the editor of the 
Statesman wrote that it was something new to see the township 
elections carried by party tests. 17 A Clermont County meeting 
in February appointed committees of vigilance in each township 
and authorized them to organize the school districts by ap¬ 
pointing subcommittees if they deemed it expedient. 18 A Har¬ 
rison County meeting selected township committees and re¬ 
quested them to appoint a subcommittee of vigilance in each 
school district. 19 A committee of vigilance for each school dis¬ 
trict was appointed in Guilford township, Medina County. 20 A 
Democratic Irish Club was organized by the Irish citizens of 
Fairfield County. 21 In May and June the Democratic Germans 
of Seneca County held meetings and organized. 22 A Democratic 
meeting of Germans was held at Columbus, September i, and 
those present agreed to meet once a month to discuss politics. 23 
A little later the Germans held a similar meeting in Fairfield 
County. 24 

Late in June the state central committee of the Democratic 
young men of Ohio issued a call for the state convention in 
August which had been recommended by the convention in 
January. 25 The call stated that the most ample preparations 
would be made for the accommodation of the thousands who 
would be in attendance; that the distinguished men of the De¬ 
mocracy of the Union had been invited and were expected to 
be present at the convention; and it recommended to the younger 
Democracy of Ohio that, upon this occasion, they so far depart 
from an established usage as to come themselves instead of send¬ 
ing delegates. The convention assembled at Mt. Vernon on 

16 Ohio Statesman, July 8 , 1840. 

17 Ibid, April 15, 1840. 

16 Ibid, Mar. 10, 1840. 

19 Ibid, Mar. 10, 1840. 

20 Ibid, Sept. 30, 1840. 

21 Ibid, Mar. 10, 1840, quoting Ohio Eagle. 

22 Ohio Statesman, June 3, 1840. 

28 Ibid, Sept. 9, 1840. 

™Ibid, Sept. 30, 1840. 

26 Ibid, July 8, 1840, quoting Mt. Vernon Banner. 



110 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. 

August 19 and held sessions in the grove at 7 A. M., 10 A. 
M., and 7 P. M. 26 A committee of three from each con¬ 
gressional district nominated a president, nineteen vice-presidents, 
and six secretaries; other committees drafted resolutions and 
an address to the young men of Ohio. Addresses were made by 
Col. R. M. Johnson, Governor Shannon, Senator Allen, and 
others. A state central committee of nine was appointed to hold 
office till their successors should be appointed. The attendance 
was estimated at twenty thousand. This was the largest meeting 
in the state, though a number of local meetings were notably 
large. A mass meeting at Dayton was attended by from ten 
thousand to fifteen thousand, and one at Mansfield by ten thou¬ 
sand. A Democratic nominating convention in Clermont 
County, August 15, was attended by three thousand. 27 As al¬ 
ready suggested the stump speaker was in evidence in the North¬ 
west in 1840 as never before. Long itineraries were planned 
covering the territory as thoroughly as possible. 28 Col. R. M. 
Johnson, Governor Shannon, and Senator Allen were the most 
prominent Democratic speakers. Colonel Johnson also visited 
Michigan and Indiana and addressed a series of Democratic 
mass meetings in each of these states. 29 

Indiana. 

In Indiana, aside from these numerous mass meetings and 
speakers, there was little that was new in the machinery of the 
campaign of 1840. Early in September, as usual, the movement 
began for the state convention on the eighth of January and 
county meetings began to be called for the appointment of 
delegates. 30 The Washington County meeting at Salem, Septem¬ 
ber 14, 1839, after passing resolutions in support of the conven¬ 
tion system and appointing delegates to the state convention, 

20 Account given in Ohio Statesman, Aug. 26, 1840. 

27 Ohio Statesman, Aug. 26, 1840; Niles’ Register, Sept. 5 , 1840, 
quoting Cincinnati Advertiser. 

28 Ohio Statesman, Aug. 5 and 19, Sept. 26 and 30, 1840. 

20 Ibid, Sept. 26 and 30, 1840; Western Sun, Sept. 26, 1840; Detroit 
Free Press, Sept. 21 , 1840. 

30 Western Sun, Sept. 7 and 21, 1839. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. Ill 

urged every Democrat of the county “to take, read, and circulate 
some public newspaper supporting sound Democratic prin¬ 
ciples/’ 31 It was further resolved “that every Democratic Re¬ 
publican in this county consider himself a committee of vigilance 
in addition to the township committees.” The Pike County 
meeting resolved that “in order to sustain Democratic principles 
in the first congressional district and to regain the ground we 
have lost, it is indispensably necessary that we establish and 
maintain a good Democratic paper in said district, and that we 
patronize such paper to the utmost of our ability.” 32 In Green 
County the method of choosing delegates to the state convention 
was unique. The county meeting chose a delegate from each of 
the townships and these were to meet and select from their num¬ 
ber at least two to attend the convenion. 33 

The convention was said to be attended by at least six or 
seven hundred from eighty of the eighty-four counties of the 
state 34 and was the largest thus far in Indiana. 35 Its chief ob¬ 
ject was to nominate candidates for governor and lieutenant 
governor and to select the nine candidates for presidential elec¬ 
tors. The electors, as usual, were chosen by committees from 
the respective congressional districts. The candidates for gov¬ 
ernor and lieutenant governor were selected by a committee of 
seventy-two from the senatorial districts. A state central com¬ 
mittee of seven was appointed with power to fill vacancies in 
the electoral ticket. The convention urged a generous support 
of Democratic newspapers; that conventions be held by the 
Democrats in every county in the state that year; that delegates 

31 Western Sun, Oct. 5, 1839. 

32 Ibid, Nov. 23, 1839. This was in the southwestern district of the 
state and was one of the two districts in Indiana which the Democrats 
lost in 1839. 

93 Ibid, Nov. 23, 1839. 

84 Madison (Indiana) Courier, Jan. 18, 1840. 

35 A brief account of the convention is given in the Western Sun, 
Jan. 25, 1840. See also Globe, Jan. 16 and 30, 1840; Niles Intelligencer, 
Jan. 29, 1840. John Buttorf, a delegate from Charlestown, Clark County, 
and a soldier of the Revolution, being unable to attend, sent a note of 
regret (published in the Sun), and enclosed a $5.00 bill to aid in defray¬ 
ing the expenses of the convention. 



112 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

to these be chosen in primary assemblies, and that the nominees 
of these conventions be supported by the party. The nominees 
of this state convention were requested to expound these prin¬ 
ciples in every portion of the state. A long address to the 
people of Indiana was prepared by a committee, the chairman 
of which was Robert Dale Owen, who read the address to the 
convention. 36 Five thousand copies of it and the proceedings 
were ordered to be printed and distributed by a committee of 
three from each congressional district. 37 The convention ap¬ 
pointed no delegates to the national nominating convention which 
was to meet in Baltimore in May. To supply this omission a 
Democratic meeting of “senators, representatives, and other cit¬ 
izens of the state” was held at the capitol, February 17, and 
appointed delegates from each congressional district. 38 

The further organizing activity of the party in Indiana in 
1840 needs but a word in conclusion. There are accounts of the 
usual county and legislative district nominating conventions. 
Knox County, about Vincennes, showed excellent organization. 
Democratic associations were formed in most or all of its town¬ 
ships with their formidable array of officers including president, 
vice-presidents, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, 
treasurer, committee of vigilance and elections, committee of dis¬ 
tribution, and committee of correspondence. 39 These associations 
held frequent meetings. In Indiana as in Ohio the political 
orator was conspicuous in the fall of 1840. In this work Col. 
R. M. Johnson and Robert Dale Owen did efficient service. 
Itineraries were mapped out for them by the party committees. 
Johnson wrote to Hon. John W. Davis, saying that after he 
reached Lafayette it would be his purpose to comply with such 
arrangements as might be thought most advisable. 40 Accord¬ 
ingly the local committees mapped his itinerary in much the 
same manner as is done for campaign speakers today. 41 

36 Niles Intelligencer, Jan. 29, 1840. 

37 Madison Courier, Feb. 15, 1840. 

38 Ibid, Feb. 29, 1840. 

39 Accounts of the organization of these associations in Western 
Sun, Aug. 29—Oct. 10, 1840. 

40 Western Sun, Sept. 26, 1840. 

“Ibid, Sept. 26, 1840. 



Democratic Party Organisation in the Northwest. 113 


Illinois. 

In none of the other states of the Northwest did the Dem¬ 
ocratic party organization develop so rapidly in 1839-40 as in 
Illinois. This was because less advancement had been made 
there than in the other states, yet enough to prepare the soil 
thoroughly for the most rapid growth. In the fall of 1839 the 
preparations for the presidential campaign began. The Dem¬ 
ocratic state central corresponding committee issued a circular, 
October 10, calling a state convention at Springfield the second 
Monday in December, “for the purpose of adopting a more 
efficient system of organization and also to nominate candidates 
for presidential electors.” 42 The circular read: “You are re¬ 
quested to immediately consult with your friends and call a 
meeting in your county and appoint delegates to the proposed 
convention. * * * We would recommend an expression of 

opinion in your resolutions upon the subjects that agitate the 
country and upon the following particularly.” Six subjects 
were then listed, four on national, and two on state politics, 
which served as standard texts for resolutions throughout the 
state. This explains the striking similarity of the resolutions 
adopted by the different county meetings at this time. The cir¬ 
cular further recommended the appointment of corresponding 
committees of three for the counties, at or near the county 
seats, and committees of vigilance of three in each justice’s pre¬ 
cinct, to continue as permanent committees until others should 
be appointed. It requested that the proceedings of the meet¬ 
ings be forwarded to the State Register and to local Democratic 
papers for publication. 

This call met with a generous response from counties 
throughout the state. 43 Many of the county meetings effected 
good county and precinct organization by appointing commit¬ 
tees of correspondence and vigilance. A number of the pre¬ 
paratory meetings, too, were regular county conventions, com¬ 
posed of delegates from meetings in the precincts. The whole 
process was entered into much as it had been in the older states. 

43 Illinois State Register (Springfield), Apr. 3, 1840. 

43 See Illinois State Register, Nov. and Dec., 1839. 

Vol. XXIV —8. 



114 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

The tendency to become more systematic and regular in proced¬ 
ure was shown in a senatorial district convention at Naperville, 
November 15. 44 After fixing a definite ratio of representation 
to county and district conventions, it was resolved, “that subse¬ 
quent conventions receive no one as delegates therein, either 
original or appointed to supply vacancies, unless they shall pro¬ 
duce authentic certificates of election, or of their appointment 
under some authority of the primary meeting; and in no case 
shall a vacancy be filled unless by some person from the ward 
or precinct vacant.” It was voted that it should be the duty of 
the senatorial district corresponding committee to notify the 
corresponding committee of each county, and; of the latter to 
notify each precinct of all calls of the district convention in 
future. At this time too, large mass meetings addressed by 
political orators abounded in Illinois. The fall campaign pre¬ 
paratory to that of 1840 began by a mass meeting in Springfield, 
November 19, which was addressed by Lincoln and Douglas in 
debate. 45 

The state convention met at Springfield, December 9, and 
was the largest thus far held in Illinois. 48 Two hundred forty- 
three delegates attended from fifty-six counties. The number 
of delegates from the different counties varied from one in many 
cases, to twelve and fifteen from Sangamon and Morgan. It 
was resolved, “that all regularly appointed delegates and such 
substitutes for absentees as those delegates have appointed, shall 
be received and considered as members of this convention.” 
Resolutions and an address were adopted and five presidential 
electors were chosen, one from each of the three congressional 
districts and two at large for the state. A state central cor¬ 
responding committee of nine was appointed, of which Stephen 
A. Douglas was chairman. A committee of five was to publish 
ten thousand copies of the proceedings and address and dis¬ 
tribute them throughout the state. To defray the expense of 
this, they were authorized to receive contributions. A resolution 
was adopted in favor of a young men’s state convention in June. 

44 Chicago Democrat, Apr. 29, 1840. 

K Sheahan, Life of Douglas, p. 41. 

46 Illinois State Register, Dec. 14, 1839. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 115 

The members pledged their influence and means to extend the 
circulation of Democratic newspapers. The Democratic editors 
of the state as a body were prominent in the convention. 47 

The spring of 1840 brought renewed activity in all parts of 
the state. An editorial in one of the leading papers of Illinois 
at that time read: “The convention system is becoming popular 
throughout the state. Both Democrats and Whigs are resorting 
to it as the best means of concentrating party strength and the 
best index of public sentiment. Thus far the regular nominees 
have been considered as binding upon both parties in the selec¬ 
tion of candidates for August next.” 48 Later the same editor 
wrote concerning a district convention to be held at Naperville, 
urging those who were not delegates to remember that “a rigid 
adherence to regular nominations constitutes the salvation of 
Democratic principles.” 49 Precinct meetings now became quite 
common, and regular county and district conventions were held 
throughout the state. To illustrate the working of the system, 
as it was developing, and before committees had been appointed, 
a precinct meeting in Sangamon County in February, recom¬ 
mended a county convention in Springfield to nominate candi¬ 
dates for the August election and elected nine delegates to this 
convention. 60 This led to a call for the convention signed by 
one hundred ninety-five persons and published in the leading 
papers of the county. 51 The call requested all the Democratic 
voters of Sangamon County to meet in their respective pre¬ 
cincts and appoint nine delegates from each to the county con¬ 
vention to nominate candidates for county offices and the legis¬ 
lature. The other three counties of the senatorial district were 
requested to send delegates from each of their precincts to this 
convention, for the purpose of nominating a candidate for the 
senate. The convention met at the time appointed and although 
but one precinct outside of Sangamon County was represented, 
a senator was nominated. 52 Sangamon itself was well repre- 

47 Illinois State Register, Nov. 16, 1839, quoting Quincy Argus. 

48 Chicago Democrat, Mar. 30, 1840. 

i9 Ibid, May 20, 1840. 

50 Illinois State Register, Mar. 13, 1840. 

61 Ibid, Mar. 27, 1840. 

52 Ibid, Apr. 17, 1840. 



116 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

sented and nominated county officers and representatives. A 
senatorial district convention at Dixon, on the other hand, was 
attended by delegates from seven of the ten counties of the 
district. 53 

In pursuance of the recommendation of the state conven¬ 
tion a movement for a young men’s state convention in June was 
begun in the spring. Meetings in Will, LaSalle, and Cook Coun¬ 
ties all appointed large numbers of delegates, 54 but owing partly 
to the fact that June was a busy time for farmers and perhaps 
still more on account of apathy, only a few counties responded. 
Accordingly the state committee at Springfield issued a circular 55 
on May 13, suggesting that it was inexpedient to hold the young 
men’s convention in June and the movement was dropped. 

A Democratic meeting which casually assembled in Spring- 
field early in June, recommended the Democracy throughout the 
state to meet at their respective county seats on the fourth of 
July for the purpose of organizing and harmonizing the party 
in each county. 56 Although at least one> meeting was accord¬ 
ingly held in Sangamon County, this recommendation seems to 
have had no important results. 57 Early in September a “Sang¬ 
amon Democratic Association” was formed at Springfield which 
adopted “articles of association” which were signed by one hun¬ 
dred two names. 58 One of the articles was: “Every citizen be¬ 
lieving in the Democratic principles adopted by Thomas Jeffer¬ 
son, the apostle of American liberty, and who will attach his 
name to these articles, shall become a member of this associa¬ 
tion.” An executive committee of nine was appointed which 
was requested to transmit a copy of the constitution to the 
Democratic citizens in each county of the state with the request 
that they organize associations as soon as possible. The associa¬ 
tion held meetings every Saturday night. About the middle of 

63 Chicago Democrat, Apr. 13, 1840. 

64 Ibid, Mar. 23 and Apr. 29, 1840; Illinois State Register, May 8 , 

1840. 

65 Illinois State Register, May 15, 1840. 

™Ibid, June 12, 1840. 

67 Ibid, June 26 and July 10, 1840. 

66 Ibid, Sept. 18, 1840. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 117 

October, through its executive committee it issued a stirring 
address to the voters of Illinois urging them all to attend the 
election. 59 

The usual series of great mass meetings addressed by stump 
speakers was held this season in Illinois as elsewhere, but one 
of the most important factors in securing the success of the 
Democrats at the polls in Illinois in 1840, was that of staying 
the suit in the courts for the disfranchisement of aliens and 
thus retaining the alien vote till after the fall election. This 
result was accomplished largely through the efforts of Stephen 
A. Douglas and secured about nine thousand additional votes 
for the Democratic cause, and thus saved the day by a small 
majority for the Democracy in Illinois. 60 

Michigan. 

In Michigan before 1840 the Democracy had already shown 
perhaps, the best party organization in the Northwest and in the 
campaign of this year it maintained its high standard. On the 
first of February a call was issued from Detroit, signed by 
fifty-four citizens from eighteen counties, for a meeting of the 
Democratic citizens of the state at Detroit on February 22, “to 
take the necessary measures to insure the success of the Repub¬ 
lican party at the next general election.” 61 Democratic editors 
of the state were requested to extend the call. This meeting of 
the twenty-second urged upon the Democracy throughout the 
state the necessity of holding monthly meetings. 62 Those pres¬ 
ent resolved to exert themselves to the utmost of their ability, 
“to produce and perfect a thorough county, town, village, and 
school district political organization” and “to place information 
as far as possible in the hands of every voter.” A committee of 
five was appointed to promote all these objects. 

On the twentieth of April the state central committee is¬ 
sued a call for a state convention to be held at Marshall on the 
twenty-fourth of June, to nominate candidates for presidential 

50 Illinois State Register, Oct. 23, 1840. 

60 For account of this see Sheahan, Life of Douglas, pp. 43-47. 

01 Detroit Free Press, Feb. 6, 1840; Niles Intelligencer, Feb. 12, 1840. 

62 Detroit Free Press, Feb. 24, 1840; Niles Intelligencer, Mar. 4, 1840. 



118 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

electors and a representative in congress, and directed the county 
corresponding committees to take proper steps to have delegates 
appointed. 63 One hundred four delegates from twenty-nine of 
the thirty-one counties then in the state attended the conven¬ 
tion. 64 As the national convention had left the nomination for 
the vice-presidency to the states, R. M. Johnson was nominated 
for reelection by this state convention and an invitation was 
extended to him to visit Michigan that summer. Candidates for 
presidential electors were nominated and both they and other 
nominees of the party in the state generally were urgently re¬ 
quested to deliver addresses and expound and disseminate Dem¬ 
ocratic principles. After an interesting contest 65 a candidate for 
representative in congress was nominated. A state central com¬ 
mittee of seven residing at Detroit was appointed; also a state 
corresponding committee in each of the counties of the state, 
composed of three members, residing in one place. The coun¬ 
ties, townships, and school districts which had not already done 
so, were urged to effect immediate organizations and their com¬ 
mittees were requested to circulate Kendall’s Extra Globe and 
other Democratic newspapers, speeches, and documents. The 
address to the people of the state prepared by the committee, 
filled nineteen columns of Niles Intelligencer and was published 
in four installments in this paper during September. 

There were evidences here and there of solidifying and per¬ 
fecting the party organization. The Berrien County Democratic 
committee restricted to a definite apportionment the number of 
delegates from the townships to the county convention. 66 The 
Democratic committee of Niles township, Berrien County, had a 
regular committee room where meetings were held and addresses 
given each Saturday evening for many weeks. 67 A “Democratic 
German Society of Michigan” was organized and held meetings 

83 Detroit Free Press, Apr. 21, 1840; Niles Intelligencer, Apr. 29, 1840. 

64 For account of convention see Detroit Free Press, June 29, 1840; 
Niles Intelligencer, July 8, 1840. 

05 Detroit Daily Advertiser, June 30, 1840; Detroit Free Press, July 
1, 1840. 

68 Niles Intelligencer , Sept. 9, 1840. 

61 Ibid, Aug. 26-Oct. 7, 1840. 



Democratic Party Organization in the Northwest. 119 


every three months. 68 The Democratic association of Detroit 
met each month and a committee provided for an address at 
each meeting. 69 The Democratic ward committees of this city 
together formed the Democratic general committee which held 
meetings semimonthly. 70 

Political oratory was in demand this year in Michigan as 
elsewhere. Mr. Felch, the Democratic candidate for congress, 
was to address the citizens in seventeen different counties in 
October. 71 A political discussion was arranged to take place at 
Niles between J. S. Chipman and N. L. Stout, each of whom 
was to speak two hours, and another hour was given each for 
rejoinder. 72 Democratic newspapers too were supported. The 
Democratic association of Genesee County included in its bond 
of association, the obligation of its members to obtain for it a 
press. 73 Early in May a Democratic reading room in the city 
of Detroit was established by the Democratic committee of the 
city, where the leading Democratic papers of the state and 
county were provided. 74 An Ingham County Democratic meet¬ 
ing appointed a committee of three in each township to obtain 
subscribers for a paper advocating Democratic principles. 75 Be¬ 
ginning on August 12, the Detroit Free Press issued an Extra 
for three months as it had done for a shorter time the previous 
year. 76 This was particularly for the use of Democratic county 
committees for campaign purposes. An Ionia County meeting 
circulated a paper for subscriptions to the Extra Free Press 
and other Democratic papers for general distribution in that 
county. 77 

But notwithstanding all this organizing activity of the 
Democracy of the Northwest, it failed to withstand the opposi- 

88 Detroit Free Press, Apr. 15, 1840. 

"Ibid, Apr. 23, 1840. 

70 Ibid, May 12 and Sept. 16, 1840. 

"Ibid, Oct. 1, 1840, gives itinerary. 

73 Niles Intelligencer, Sept. 30, 1840. 

78 Detroit Free Press, June 13, 1840. 

"Ibid, May 14, and June 13, 1840. 

"Ibid, Feb. 22, 1840. 

"Ibid, July 24, 1840. 

"Ibid, June 8, 1840. 



120 Ohio Arch, and Hist. Society Publications. 

tion arising from the Panic of 1837 and the allurements of the 
“Log Cabin and hard cider.” The Democracy of the Northwest 
had not only learned the lesson of organization themselves; they 
had unintentionally taught this lesson to their rivals so well that 
with its aid and that of the above forces, the pendulum swung 
back and brought victory to the Whigs. With the exception 
of a small majority saved in Illinois, the Whig reactionary wave 
swept everything before it in the Northwest. 78 

78 Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan supported Harrison for president by 
good majorities. In the congressional election of 1840, Ohio elected 
Whigs in twelve of its nineteen districts and Michigan elected a Whig 
as her only representative. In Indiana and Illinois the elections to the 
twenty-seventh congress did not occur until 1841, when Whigs were 
elected in six of the seven districts of Indiana, and in two of the three 
districts of Illinois. 






















































































































































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